Information about the Coronavirus (Covid-19) in South Korea

05 Jul 2020

Entry ban to Sweden until 31 August 2020. From 4 July 2020 the Government has decided to to ease the restrictions for certain travellers. The entry ban does not apply to people who live in South Korea.

Swedish citizens are encouraged to keep themselves updated through news reports, advice from the local authorities and through the embassy’s travel information here on the Swedish website or through the app UD Resklar. 

From 13 April Swedish citizens are not any longer visa free and cannot enter Korea without a visa issued after 5 April 2020 by a Korean embassy. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Korea has on 21 May 2020 decided about new rules from1 June 2020 for holders of alien registration (residence permit in Korea). Before leaving the country a person with residence permit has to apply for a Re-Entry Permit to be allowed to enter Korea again. Prior to return to Korea - maximum 48 hours before - the person has to visit a doctor and get a certificate in English or Korean that the person does not suffer from fever, cough, chills, headache, breathing difficulty, muscle pain or pulmonary symptoms. 

From 15 May persons with alien registration (residence permit in Korea) will have to take a corona test within three days and stay in self quarantine at home for forteen days. Travelers have to fill in a health form, download a "Self Diagnosis App" in their mobile  and have their temperature checked. Short term visitors, who have a visa issued after 5 April 2020, will have to stay in quarantine in "government-designated facilities" on the expense of the traveler (100 000 KRW per day).

The embassy encourages all Swedish citizens that are currently in South Korea to register to  the swedish list (Svensklistan) which you can find on the following link and also to remove their registration if they are planning to travel abroad earlier than specified.

If you have any symptoms or wish to ask questions to the authorities about the Covid-19 virus you can call Korea Center for Disease Control, the telephone number is: 1339.

Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs is following the Public Health Agency of Sweden recommendations on what eventual precautions are necessary in order to prevent contamination risks. 

Many countries have imposed travel restrictions for persons that have visited South Korea. On the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Korean Air web site you can find information about travel advice from different countries. Remember to always check and verify the latest information with the country you expect to travel to or through. If you have made plans to travel in the near future, please contact your insurance company or your travel agent if you have questions regarding rebooking or cancellation. 

The responsible department is the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). They have updated information about the situation on their webpage.

The Ministry of Health has a webpage in English which will be updated regularly.

Seoul Metropolitan Government have also information about the situation in Seoul.

People that show symptoms should contact Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention on the telephone number: 1339 before visiting a clinic or hospital.

The links below are some English news sources:
https://en.yna.co.kr/
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr

 More information and health advice

The Public Health Agency of Sweden is the responsible public agency in Sweden for questions regarding communicable diseases such as Covid-19. The Public Health Agency of Sweden is following the development and updating their website. If you have any questions regarding health advice, transmission or advice when returning to Sweden you can read more about it here: Questions and answers about Covid-19. According to the Public Health Agency of Sweden should persons who have been in South Korea be aware of symptoms such as cough, difficulty breathing or fever and call "Vårdguiden" on 1177 for assessment.

On WHO:s webpage and on EU:s Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ECDC there is more information about the coronavirus and the international cooperation to minimize the outbreak and its effects.

 

Last updated 28 Feb 2020, 2.37 PM