A woman walks past a mural depicting RM, a member of K-pop group BTS, in Goyang, northwest of Seoul, on June 15, 2022. (ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP)
HONG KONG – Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport holders will again be allowed visa-free entry to South Korea starting July 1, the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Hong Kong said Monday.
The consulate said those who have an HKSAR passport must obtain a Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) before they can fly to South Korea.
South Korea lifted on June 8 quarantine requirements for all international arrivals regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination record
Travelers can fill out their applications online for the K-ETA, which is valid for two years and allows multiple trips.
“There may be some delays in K-ETA application assessment due to increased applications… so please apply for your K-ETA at least 72 hours before boarding the flight,” the consulate said in a statement.
K-ETA applications will be available for Hong Kong residents starting June 30.
South Korea lifted on June 8 quarantine requirements for all international arrivals regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination record.
However, travelers should test negative for the virus within 24 hours (for rapid antigen tests) or 48 hours (for nucleic acid tests) before flying to South Korea.
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They should also register on its Quarantine Information Advance Input System (Q-CODE) website to obtain a QR code that will be presented to a quarantine officer upon arrival.