NEW PASSPORTS FROM DECEMBER

입력 2021.11.29 (15:15) 수정 2021.11.29 (16:46)

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[Anchor Lead]

South Korea will begin issuing new passports from December. The new dark blue passports were supposed to be introduced last year, but was postponed for a year as few people applied for them due to the pandemic.

[Pkg]

This is a new electronic passport to be introduced next month. For the first time in 33 years, the color of the passport cover has been changed from green to dark blue. Personal information, such as the photo, the name and the passport number, is engraved using lasers on a plastic sheet. The government hopes this will make it harder to fabricate passports. The new passport was initially to be introduced last December, but it was postponed for one year as few people needed to renew their passports due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Some five million passports used to be issued in the country annually. But last year the number fell to just one million. As of September this year, only 460,000 new passports were issued. More than four million passports have expired but were not renewed. However, things will likely change next year. As Korea begins its gradual return to normalcy, travel agencies are resuming overseas tour packages and receiving more and more reservations.

[Soundbite] Cho Il-sang(Hana Tour) : "We are receiving more inquiries these days as people look forward to traveling again. They mostly inquire about regions where quarantine is not required."

Once the pandemic subsides, some nine million new passports are expected to be issued next year, nearly twice as many as in previous years.

[Soundbite] Kang Bok-won(Ministry of Foreign Affairs) : "We are working to prepare a sufficient number of passports to meet the 2019 demand and issue them for those whose passports have expired but who are waiting to renew them."

Those who need to renew their passports are advised to do so in advance, as it will take longer to receive a passport during the vacation season.

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  • NEW PASSPORTS FROM DECEMBER
    • 입력 2021-11-29 15:15:47
    • 수정2021-11-29 16:46:10
    News Today
[Anchor Lead]

South Korea will begin issuing new passports from December. The new dark blue passports were supposed to be introduced last year, but was postponed for a year as few people applied for them due to the pandemic.

[Pkg]

This is a new electronic passport to be introduced next month. For the first time in 33 years, the color of the passport cover has been changed from green to dark blue. Personal information, such as the photo, the name and the passport number, is engraved using lasers on a plastic sheet. The government hopes this will make it harder to fabricate passports. The new passport was initially to be introduced last December, but it was postponed for one year as few people needed to renew their passports due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Some five million passports used to be issued in the country annually. But last year the number fell to just one million. As of September this year, only 460,000 new passports were issued. More than four million passports have expired but were not renewed. However, things will likely change next year. As Korea begins its gradual return to normalcy, travel agencies are resuming overseas tour packages and receiving more and more reservations.

[Soundbite] Cho Il-sang(Hana Tour) : "We are receiving more inquiries these days as people look forward to traveling again. They mostly inquire about regions where quarantine is not required."

Once the pandemic subsides, some nine million new passports are expected to be issued next year, nearly twice as many as in previous years.

[Soundbite] Kang Bok-won(Ministry of Foreign Affairs) : "We are working to prepare a sufficient number of passports to meet the 2019 demand and issue them for those whose passports have expired but who are waiting to renew them."

Those who need to renew their passports are advised to do so in advance, as it will take longer to receive a passport during the vacation season.

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