Subscribe
E-Paper
 |
| Inspectors from Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention watch body temperature of people arriving at Incheon International Airport, June 28. Korea Times file |
Due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions, the number of foreign arrivals in South Korea nose-dived again in May dropping nearly 98 percent to slightly over 30,000, official data showed Saturday.
According to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), 30,861 foreigners visited the country in May, down 97.9 percent from the same month last year. The monthly total of foreign arrivals came after just 29,415 foreign nationals arrived here in April, marking a year-on-year decline of 98.2 percent for the month
By nationality, visitors from the United States fell 90.9 percent to 8,735, while those from China dropped 99 percent to 5,124, the KTO said.
Visitors from Japan and Taiwan decreased 99.9 percent and 99.8 percent, respectively, to 413 and 189, it noted, adding 24 arrived from Hong Kong, 49 from Singapore, 90 from Malaysia and 195 from Thailand.
Visitors from the Philippines and Vietnam did each exceed 1,000, reaching a respective 1,539 and 1,381, , but the year-on-year declines were both 97 percent.
"All flights between South Korea and China have been suspended except for one route for each airline. Japan has lifted its coronavirus emergency declaration but still maintains travel restrictions for South Korea," said a KTO official, explaining one of the reasons for the continued dive in foreign arrivals.
In the first five months of this year, 2.1 million foreigners visited South Korea, marking a year-on-year plunge of 69.8 percent, the KTO said.
Under compulsory quarantine measures, all entrants from overseas ― both Koreans and foreigners ― are obliged to self-isolate at their residences or government-designated facilities for 14 days. Foreigners refusing to accept the two-week self-isolation are denied entry to the country, while rule violators are fined and deported.
Meanwhile, outbound travelers from South Korea also plunged 98.4 percent year-on-year in May to 37,801, according to the KTO data. (Yonhap)
