Seoul lifts visa limits on short-term travelers from China

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea says it will remove the entry restrictions it placed on short-term travelers from China since the start of the year as officials see the COVID-19 situation in that country as stabilizing. South Korea in early January stopped issuing most short-term visas at its consulates in China, citing concerns about a virus surge and the potential for new mutations. China abruptly eased coronavirus restrictions in December, raising the prospect of millions of Chinese resuming travel abroad. The South Korean virus measures prompted China to retaliate by suspending South Korean short-term visa applications, raising business concerns in a country that heavily depends on exports to China.