Hong Kongers Require PCR Test to Travel to South Korea

The South Korean government announced on Jan. 3 that it will impose mandatory COVID-19 testing on travellers from Hong Kong and Macau, according to local news outlets.

This decision comes after Beijing’s decision to lift zero-Covid policies, partly due to the recent surge in new cases, virus mutations, high travel traffic, and the recent strengthening of restrictions against travellers from special administrative regions of China by the United States, Canada, and Japan.

Starting from Jan. 7, travellers from Hong Kong and Macau must submit a negative COVID-19 test result 48 hours before entering the country, or a rapid antigen test taken by professional medical personnel less than 24 hours before entry.

According to an article by The Korea Times, travellers should also submit their health and travel information through the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s (KDCA) Quarantine Pre-entry System.

Unlike visitors from mainland China, visitors departing from Hong Kong and Macau do not require post-arrival COVID testing. They may also receive Korean governmental support for medical bills on the chance they test positive for the virus, while mainland Chinese visitors must pay medical expenses on their own.

The KDCA highlighted the importance of wearing a mask during the travel period, adding that the government may introduce more measures if the number of imported cases increases.