Temporary suspension of visa exemption for Korean citizens

On the morning of February 28, the Steering Committee for the prevention and control of acute respiratory infections caused by the new strain of Corona virus (COVID-19) met under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, Head of the Steering Committee.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam: "We are more proactive but absolutely not subjective." Photo: VGP/Dinh Nam

At the meeting, based on the developments of the epidemic situation in the world, members of the Steering Committee discussed solutions related to the control of immigrants, especially citizens of countries with the epidemic spreading strongly in the community coming to Vietnam and Vietnamese people returning from countries with the epidemic.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung said: In recent times, with the drastic direction and synchronous participation of the entire system, we have controlled the COVID-19 epidemic well. However, the situation in the world is very complicated, especially in some countries such as: South Korea, Italy, Iran...

The development of the Covid-19 epidemic in Korea is still very complicated.

To prevent the spread of the disease in Vietnam, the Government has implemented many solutions to protect the health of the people and the community, minimizing negative impacts on the economy and society. In that spirit, the Government has decided to temporarily suspend the visa exemption policy for Korean citizens.

Accordingly, Korean citizens entering Vietnam with appropriate visas issued by Vietnam, this is a temporary solution applied by Vietnam to prevent the epidemic. This decision officially applied from 0:00 on February 29, Deputy Minister To Anh Dung informed.

A representative of the Ministry of Transport also said that in recent days the number of flights between Vietnam and South Korea has decreased sharply, due to few passengers, many domestic airlines are considering suspending flights until a new situation arises...

Also at the meeting, members of the Steering Committee agreed to request localities to conduct a 14-day medical quarantine as prescribed for Iranian and Italian citizens entering Vietnam.

Medical experts recommend that flights from epidemic areas returning to the country should be organized to receive suspected cases right at the foot of the plane's stairs, take them to a centralized quarantine area; then conduct screening and classification to carry out medical quarantine according to regulations.

The Steering Committee also requested local Party committees, authorities, political systems, and grassroots organizations to continue to closely monitor and supervise suspected cases that are being quarantined in the community...

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam requested to continue to strictly control the border and people entering the country; and implement drastic preventive measures to detect early, isolate, and completely contain the epidemic.

So far, we have not had any new cases of infection, but we must be ready to respond to the situation of the epidemic spreading to the community as warned by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the face of new and complicated developments of the COVID-19 epidemic globally. However, our understanding of the COVID-19 virus is very different from before. "We are more proactive but absolutely not subjective," said the Deputy Prime Minister.

The Steering Committee unanimously agreed to ask the Government for permission to raise the warning level to prevent the epidemic. For Korea, we will temporarily suspend the visa exemption policy from 0:00 on February 29, and apply medical quarantine to all those flying from Korea, or staying in Korea within 14 days and flying from other places to Vietnam.

Localities with international airports are the focal points for receiving Vietnamese people returning from epidemic areas. At the same time, the role of military regions and provinces with citizens returning from epidemic areas must continue to be promoted and must coordinate closely in receiving and organizing medical quarantine.

Centralized quarantine ensures two principles: Absolute safety in terms of epidemiological hygiene; classifying quarantine cases according to different infection risks to have appropriate measures, not rigid...

The Ministry of Public Security shall immediately notify localities of information on cases of Vietnamese citizens returning to the country; at the same time, coordinate with families to determine information about relatives, on that basis, have solutions to screen, monitor, and strictly implement commitments in medical isolation and disease prevention. For Korean citizens entering Vietnam to work, there must be a representative of the enterprise or organization to confirm information and bind responsibilities...