South Korea is grappling with the rapid spread of COVID-19, set off by the Omicron variant, and consequently, the government has deemed its travel ban on South Africa and 10 other African countries fruitless.
South Korea travel requirements for South African visitors
As reported by Korean news agency Yonhap, South Korea’s public healthcare system has felt a strain due to the surge of positive cases witnessed in the past week.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), current daily COVID-19 trends suggest a massive spike of up to 100 000 cases per day could be seen in the next several weeks.
Omicron has been identified as the main culprit behind the rise in infections, and considering the fact that South Africa was banned for being the first country to detect the variant, placing a no-entry policy for travellers from this region has proved ineffective.
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Therefore, according to the KDCA, South Korea will, once again, welcome travellers from South Africa, Ethiopia and nine other African countries from Friday 4 February 2022.
Here are the most recently updated South Korea travel requirements:
Transiting in South Korea
- COVID-19 screening on arrival at airport
- Symptomatic travellers will be tested for COVID-19 and hospitalised if found positive
- Asymptomatic passengers (or negative COVID-19 test result) may continue their journey
- Transit passengers at Seoul Incheon Airport require a ticket/boarding pass for their onward flight to their final destination
- Passengers should confirm with the airline before departure that their bags have been checked through to their final destination (as transit passengers are not able to collect and re-check in baggage on arrival in Incheon Airport)
COVID-19 testing on arrival
- Negative PCR test is required before entry into South Korea (except children under the age of six and individuals with quarantine exemptions for “humanitarian reasons” – i.e. to attend a funeral – or official business reasons)
- LAMP tests are accepted
- The test must have been taken within the 48 hours prior to departure
- Passengers below the age of six and regardless of nationality and length of stay will be tested for COVID-19 within 24 hours after entering South Korea (if you are not resident in South Korea, you will be taken for testing and must remain at the testing facility until a negative result has been secured)
- Passengers recently recovered from COVID-19 will still need to receive a negative PCR test result and produce an official note from a doctor detailing when you tested positive, what treatment you received and/or what isolation you observed
Quarantine protocol
- Travellers are required to undergo mandatory quarantine for seven days (it was 10 days in the past)
- Passengers can apply for quarantine exemption if fully vaccinated
- Quarantine exemption is only open to travellers only for a visiting for 14 days or less, and only for business and academic travellers, government officials, or if you are travelling to Korea for the funeral of a close family member.
