PRE-ENTRY COVID-19 REQUIREMENT SCRAPPED

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South Korea has decided to scrap its current pre-entry COVID-19 testing requirement for inbound travelers. An updated vaccine effective against the BA.5 variant will also be introduced in the fourth quarter.

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The pre-entry COVID-19 testing rule had been controversial over its effectiveness. Health officials announced Wednesday that the pre-entry COVID-19 test mandate will be lifted from Saturday.

[Soundbite] Lee Ki-il(2nd Vice Health Minister) : "Starting Sept. 3, all S. Korean nationals and foreign travelers arriving on plane or ship do not need to submit a negative PCR test result."

However, a post-entry PCR test required within 24 hours of arrival will be maintained in an effort to block the inflow of variants from overseas. Currently, inbound travelers have to submit a negative PCR test result taken within 48 hours of their departure or a negative result of a rapid antigen test conducted by a medical professional within 24 hours. On the vaccine front, a bivalent vaccine that can offer better protection against the BA.5 variant will be introduced in the fourth quarter. They will first be offered to high-risk groups but will be made available to all adults 18 and older who have received the first two vaccine shots. Meanwhile, reservations will open Thursday for the SKYCovione vaccine developed by local firm SK Bioscience. The vaccine is known to have 2.9 times more neutralizing antibodies than existing shots, with mostly minor side effects. As for the upcoming Chuseok, authorities are seeking to exempt toll fees for all vehicles using expressways during the four-day holiday and allow eating at rest areas and inside buses and trains. COVID-19 test sites will be installed at nine expressway rest stops in Gyeonggido, Gyeongsangnamdo and Jeollanamdo provinces so that anyone can get a free PCR test during the holiday period. However the ban on in-person visits to nursing homes and other long-term care facilities will remain in place during Chuseok.