China retaliates, suspends short-term visas for Koreans

Beijing is suspending short-term visas for Koreans in retaliation for Seoul's restrictions on visitors from China, which it called “discrimination” against Chinese.

People arriving from China being tested for Covid-19 at Incheon International Airport on Monday. [YONHAP]

Beijing is suspending short-term visas for Koreans in retaliation for Seoul's restrictions on visitors from China, which it called “discriminatory” against Chinese.

The suspensions started Tuesday.

In a notification by the Chinese embassy in Seoul on Tuesday, the suspension on short term visa was announced for tourists but also for travel for commerce and trade, medical and personal purposes.

“The situation could be adjusted according to the cancellation of Korea’s discriminatory entry restriction against China,” the notification in Korean read.

The Korean government did not answer questions as to whether it was aware on the Chinese government’s retaliation to its own restriction on people traveling from China.

But it said quarantine regulations in Korea are not discrimination and promised continued communication with Beijing through diplomatic channels.

“Our government's quarantine measures for people arriving from China are based on scientific and objective grounds,” said Lim Soo-suk, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry. “The Korean government has shared related information transparently with the international community and continuously communicated with China.”

The Chinese embassy in Seoul notification on short-term visa suspension for Koraens. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

China's canceling of visas for Koreans came after a call between China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin on Monday. The spokesperson did not answer a question about whether the Korean government was informed in advance. “Yes there was a 50-minute call between Foreign Minister Park Jin and the new Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang,” Lim said. “While there were congratulations made to the new Foreign Minister [...] a wide range of opinions were exchanged on issues of mutual interest including the Korea-China relationship.”

Since Jan. 2, Korea has raised restrictions on arrivals from China over concerns over a Covid-19 outbreak that followed Beijing's sudden abandonment of its zero-Covid policy.

Travelers to Korea from mainland China have to submit a negative Covid test result before boarding a plane and get a PCR test on arrival. If they test positive, they are quarantined at their own expense.

The mandatory testing is to continue until the end of February.

Visitors from Hong Kong and Macau have less stringent restrictions, but they too have to submit negative test results before boarding planes. While more than 20 percent of people that arrived from China tested positive for Covid-19 on Jan. 2, that figure has fallen to around 14 percent in recent days, especially since pre-boarding negative test results were required. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Monday that it could raise a travel advisory health notice to level 2 if the situation in China doesn't improve. This would limit the issuance of short-term visas and also the number of flights allowed in from China. The Korean government is worried about a massive inflow of people from China during the country’s biggest holidays during the Lunar New Year holiday between Jan. 21 and Jan. 27.

Korea lifted its ban on short-term travel visas last June. It was implemented in April 2020.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]