South Korea has suspended its visa-free entry policy to Jeju Island, affecting the Philippines and 61 other nations owing to the threat of the novel coronavirus.
“In an effort to help stem the spread of novel coronavirus, the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea has suspended visa-free entry to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province beginning Feb. 4. This temporary measure is aimed at stopping any new coronavirus infections in the province and mainland, by strengthening entry procedures.
This includes the screening of new visas,” said the Jeju Tourism Organization, adding that there is coronavirus case in the island.
Before the suspension, Philippine passport holders were allowed to enter Jeju Island without a visa through direct flights and ships. They are now required to have a valid visa to travel to the island.
Besides the Philippines, those affected by the visa suspension policy are general passport holders from Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Cambodia, China, Gabon, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Lebanon, Moldova, Mongolia, Mozambique, Oman, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Vanuatu and Vietnam. Official and general passport holders from Jordan and Turkmenistan are also covered by the new rule.
Also affected by new policy are diplomatic, official and general passport holders from Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Niger, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Korean Embassy in Manila has also announced the new Jeju Island policy. It said “the Korean Government has announced that the visa-free entry to Jeju Island and visa free entry for transit passengers who depart from China suspended until further notice.”
“In addition, starting February 4, 2020 any foreigner (applicable to all foreigners) that have visited or stayed in the Hubei Province, China – within the last 14 days, are not permitted to enter Korea,” it added.
As of Feb. 6, South Korea has 23 confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
PINOY TOURISTS BARRED
Bureau of Immigration (BI) said yesterday it will no longer allow Filipino tourists bound for the island tourist destination of Jeju, South Korea to leave in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
“We have already instructed our immigration officers not to allow the departure of any Filipino bound for Jeju unless the passenger was issued a visa by the Korean embassy,” BI port operations division chief Grifton Medina.
Meanwhile, Medina said that almost 300 foreigners were already turned back at the airports as a result of the travel ban imposed on travelers directly arriving from China, Macau, and Hong Kong. (Jonathan Hicap and Jun Ramirez)
