KDCA Lifts Pre-entry Negative COVID-19 Test Requirement, Starting 3^rd September

On 31 August, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced that it will lift a pre-entry negative COVID-19 test requirement, starting 3^rd September this year. Accordingly, travelers coming to South Korea, regardless of their vaccination history, will no longer be required to submit their negative test result on arrival.

However, travelers are still required to take a PCR test on the first day of their arrival at the border. This is to detect confirmed cases at an earlier stage and maintain strict surveillance of new variants being imported. All arrivals are also strongly advised to register their PCR test results with the Q-code system immediately.

The measure is based on the health authorities’ policy of placing more focus on protection of high-risk groups, rather than on curbing the spread of COVID-19 infections through social distancing, amid a downward trend in the fatality rate and in the risk of progression into severe and critical disease.

Recently, there has been an increasing trend in the number of people who test positive while staying overseas and thus face difficulties arising from being put into quarantine leading to an extension of their stay overseas. Also, COVID-19 testing being administered at some medical facilities overseas is not in strict compliance with relevant guidelines. Thus, the KDCA engaged in a consultative process with experts and relevant Ministries and decided to end the pre-entry test requirement.