A total of 103 countries and territories were enforcing or planning to impose entry restrictions or tougher quarantine procedures on people from South Korea over coronavirus concerns, foreign ministry data showed Sunday. The tally, as of 2 p.m., remains unchanged from late Saturday's figure, but the number of countries and territories barring the entry of travelers from all of Korea rose by one to 37, according to the foreign ministry website. Saudi Arabia was moved to this list as it now bar

South Korea is reviewing a plan to send a chartered flight to Iran to bring its citizens home from the coronavirus-hit Islamic country this week, government officials said Sunday. The number of Iran's COVID-19 cases has reportedly risen to 5,823 with 145 deaths as of Saturday, raising concerns about the safety of Koreans in the country suffering a shortage of medicine and medical equipment. It marks the third most coronavirus infections in the world, following China and South Korea. "Th

South Korea's prime minister on Sunday called for citizens' cooperation to resolve the supply shortage of face masks and ensure smooth distribution amid growing public anger over the bungled supply scheme. Under the measure that will take effect Monday, citizens will be able to buy only two protective masks per week from pharmacies, on designated days of the week, depending on the final number of their year of birth. "To make the system smoothly operate, there is a desperate need for pe

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry raised the travel alert for all regions of Japan on Saturday, amid growing concerns about the number of COVID-19 cases there.  Effective Monday Seoul advised “restraint,” representing the third level in the country’s four-notch warning system. A week ago it advised “caution,” a warning one notch lower.  The ministry cited growing concerns about the continued spread of the coronavirus in Japan and how it could affect

The World Health Organization on Friday (Geneva time) urged countries to “stand together” on COVID-19, in response to the renewed diplomatic row between Seoul and Tokyo over travel restrictions in response to the outbreak.  “COVID-19 is a common enemy,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters during a press briefing at the agency’s headquarters in Geneva. “And the only way we can beat this virus is when we stand together. …

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) -- US President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States and South Korea have been working closely together as allies to deal with the coronavirus outbreak. The president spoke during a visit to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, as his administration grapples with an increasing number of infections in the country. "We're working closely with South Korea," Trump said. "They're also in a much different position. Th

South Korea said Friday it will halt a visa-free entry program for Japan and take other countermeasures in response to Tokyo's decision to impose new restrictions for South Korean visitors over coronavirus fears. First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Sei-young announced the measures, hours after the foreign ministry voiced "extreme regrets" over Japan's immigration control plan, which it chastised as "unreasonable, unscientific and unfriendly." "Our government once again ex

South Korea on Friday expressed “extreme regret” over Japan’s entry restrictions imposed on its citizens over the novel coronavirus, and warned of “corresponding measures.”  　 Japan on Thursday announced that all arrivals from Korea will be put into two-week quarantine at designated facilities, while it has invalidated some visas already issued to travelers from here. It is also suspending a visa-waiver program for short stays, all effective from Monday. 　 It

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha called in Japanese Ambassador Koji Tomita on Friday to lodge a protest over Tokyo's decision to impose new entry restrictions for South Koreans over novel coronavirus fears. Kang met Tomita hours after the ministry voiced "extreme regrets" over Japan's plan to request a two-week quarantine for visitors from South Korea. Tokyo has announced that from Monday through the end of this month, visitors from South Korea and China will be asked to stay at desi

South Korea's presidential office on Friday expressed "strong regret" over Japan's entry restrictions on people arriving from South Korea amid the spread of the new coronavirus, saying it may take measures under the principle of reciprocity. Seoul's warning of possible corresponding steps came one day after Tokyo said people arriving from South Korea and China will be quarantined at designated facilities for up to two weeks, citing concerns over the outbreak of the coronavirus in the

WASHINGTON -- New York City is asking residents returning from South Korea and four other countries to self-isolate for 14 days as a precautionary measure against the spread of coronavirus, the office of the city's mayor said Thursday. The office of Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the measure as the number of infections in the state of New York doubled overnight to 22. "The Department of Health is asking New Yorkers who return from the following countries to self-isolate for 14 days

South Korea on Friday urged Japan to immediately lift the trade curbs it imposed on Asia's No. 4 economy, stressing that Seoul has taken necessary measures to bolster its export control system in line with Tokyo's demands. In July last year, Japan imposed restrictions on exports to Seoul of three key industrial materials critical for South Korea's chip and display industries, namely photoresist, etching gas and fluorinated polyimide. Tokyo cited Seoul's alleged lax export control system for s

The foreign ministry on Friday expressed "extreme regret" over Japan's two-week quarantine plan for visitors from South Korea over new coronavirus concerns, warning of "all possible" corresponding measures. Vice Foreign Minister Cho Sei-young plans to summon Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Koji Tomita to officially lodge a protest over the measure that is set to take effect Monday and last until the end of this month. Tokyo announced Thursday that visitors from South Ko

President Moon Jae-in spoke by phone with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates and Egypt on Thursday and discussed joint efforts to cope with the new coronavirus, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said. Moon held talks first with Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and then with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok said in a release. The phone talks each lasted about 20 minutes. Moon asked for understa

Japan decided Thursday to tighten entry restrictions on arrivals from South Korea and China starting next week amid concerns over the spread of the new coronavirus. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced after a government meeting that those flying in from the two virus-hit neighboring countries will be quarantined at a designated place for two weeks. The new measure will be effective from next Monday through the end of this month. Tokyo's has already imposed an entry ban on people