South Korea to require COVID-19 tests for Hong Kong, Macao travellers

SEOUL: South Korea's health authorities said on Tuesday (Jan 3) it will impose mandatory COVID-19 tests on travellers from Hong Kong and Macao, after Beijing's decision to lift stringent zero-COVID policies.

Effective Jan 7, travellers from Hong Kong and Macao would be required to submit a negative result from a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

The decision comes after South Korea announced it will require travellers from China to take COVID-19 tests before departure and upon arrival in South Korea, joining the United States, Japan and other countries in taking new border measures amid concerns over a new wave of infections and mutations.