Travelers heading to the Chinese city of Shenyang wait in line at the departure lobby of Terminal 1 of Incheon airport, west of Seoul, on Feb. 1, 2023. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — China on Wednesday resumed mandatory COVID-19 tests for arrivals from South Korea only, in its latest tit-for-tat response over Seoul’s strengthened antivirus curbs against travelers from the neighboring nation.
The tests were mostly conducted on foreign nationals, most of whom were Koreans.
Sources said that travelers from South Korea flying into the Chinese cities of Yanji, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Weihai, Wuhan and Shenyang were subject to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or antigen testing, except for Chinese nationals.
“Only foreign nationals were subject to PCR tests. Travelers were allowed to leave after,” one of the Korean travelers said.
“The quarantine officials told us to wait for the results at home. They failed to mention anything about what would happen if any one of us tests positive.”
The tests were conducted at the airport under rigid conditions. Security agents were placed near the PCR test booths, monitoring each and every incoming traveler.
Photography was prohibited.
South Korea continues to test all travelers coming from China regardless of their nationality.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
