Moon orders diplomatic consultations over special entry for Korean businessmen

SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in ordered officials Tuesday to seek diplomatic consultations with countries imposing entry bans on South Koreans amid coronavirus concerns over ways to permit Korean businesspeople with health documents to be granted exceptions for entrance.

The possession of a health condition report means that the outcome of COVID-19 tests is negative, according to Kang Min-seok, Cheong Wa Dae spokesman.

The instruction came as a series of entry bans on people from South Korea makes it difficult for the country's people to travel for business, potentially shrinking economic activities.

A total of 109 countries and territories were imposing entry bans or tougher quarantine procedures for people from South Korea over the spread of the new coronavirus on Tuesday.

When asked if Japan is included in a list of countries with which Seoul will seek diplomatic consultations, Cheong Wa Dae said "it is difficult to specifically mention about what countries would be."

The government began to halt a visa-free entry program for Japan and to take other countermeasures starting on Monday in response to Tokyo's decision to impose new entry restrictions for South Korean visitors over the coronavirus.

sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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