| People wait to get tested for COVID-19 at a testing center in eastern Seoul on Sept. 15. Yonhap |
Korea will remove a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing requirement for inbound travelers on the first day of their arrival amid the waning virus wave, authorities said Friday.
The measure will take effect Saturday.
Currently, a PCR test is a must for inbound travelers within the first 24 hours of their entry into the country.
The decision means the removal of all antivirus restrictions regarding inbound travelers. Earlier this month, Korea removed the mandatory pre-departure testing requirement for outbound travelers.
Those who show virus symptoms within three days of their arrival here can undergo a free PCR test at public health centers across the country, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.
The government has eased antivirus restrictions as the country has seen a gradual decline in infections recently. On Friday, the country reported 28,497 new COVID-19 infections, compared with 29,097 cases a week earlier.
The proportion of infections from overseas has decreased to come to 0.9 percent in September from 1.3 percent the previous month, and the fatality rate of the BA.5 subvariant is quite low, the KDCA said as reasons for its decision to ease the regulation.
But Korea could reinforce restrictions regarding foreign entrants if it sees the emergence of risky virus variants and the global virus situation changes, Second Vice Health Minister Lee Ki-il told a virus response meeting.
"We are at the final stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect another wave in winter, but we will finally overcome the virus through thorough preparations," Lee said. (Yonhap)