By Lee Hana
Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum on June 8 said people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 could go on overseas group tours as early as next month.
At a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters at Government Complex-Sejong, he said, "After consultations with countries having stable quarantine conditions, we will allow fully vaccinated people to go on group tours abroad from as early as next month."
Fully vaccinated people who get tested for the coronavirus by immigration can travel abroad without going into quarantine after returning home.
"Being able to travel overseas again will signal a return to normal that many people look forward to," the prime minister said, adding that vaccinations are picking up speed with over five million people having vaccine appointments for this week and the next.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport are seeking "travel bubble" agreements with countries seeing relative success in containing and combating the pandemic. The arrangement would allow people to travel freely in those nations.
The government has discussed the proposal with Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Guam and Saipan, and full-fledged consultations are expected to start soon.
Also on June 8, the U.S. Department of State lowered its travel advisory for Korea to Level 1, down from Level 2 set on Nov. 23 last year.
Level 1 is the lowest of the four advisory levels recommending travelers to "exercise normal precautions." It also discourages international travel for those with severe illnesses who have not been vaccinated, and full vaccination is required before departure for those wishing to travel.
In announcing the change in advisory for Korea, the department said, "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 1 Travel Health Notice for South Korea due to COVID-19, indicating a low level of COVID-19 in the country."
hlee10@korea.kr