Shown here is the arrivals hall of Terminal 1 at Incheon International Airport on April 21. (Yonhap News)

By Kim Eun-young and Lee Jihae

Pilot operation of K-ETA (electronic travel authorization) started on May 3 at 9 a.m.

The Ministry of Justice made this announcement on April 29. K-ETA is designed to permit entry to Korea for foreign nationals without a visa if they input online their personal and travel information in advance.

Nationals from 21 out of 112 visa-waiver countries are eligible for K-ETA due to COVID-19 pandemic. These 21 nations include the U.S., Britain, Mexico and Ireland. K-ETA will be available for nationals from remaining 91 states if they visit Korea for special purposes such as business. 

The application for K-ETA is available at www.k-eta.go.kr in Korean and English. A traveler must obtain the authorization at least 24 hours before boarding a plane bound for Korea. One person can register up to 30 people.

K-ETA is valid for two years, and those using it are exempt from submitting arrival cards.

The ministry said the pilot operation will run for four months before full-fledged implementation starts on Sept. 1.

Minister of Justice Park Beom-Kye said, ""We can raise Korea's immigration inspection sector, which has proven to be one of the world's best, up a level."

eykim86@korea.kr