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SEOUL, Aug 11 (Reuters) - South Korea is implementing forthe first time an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) systemfor overseas visitors from September, as the COVID-19 pandemicforces open the way for a policy previously opposed by thecountry's tourism industry.
The justice ministry said the system will be a long-term wayto pre-emptively head off any contagious disease as well aslimit the number of undocumented immigrants, which had risen inthe years before the pandemic.
Most visa waivers were suspended as the pandemic worsened inApril 2020.
When border controls ease, the ETA system will be in placeto help prevent the entry of infectious disease to the countryby requiring travellers to share their previous two weeks oftravel history, Justice Minister Park Beom-kye told Reuters inan interview.
It will also enable a prompt entry ban on a certain countryif and when a contagious outbreak occurs, Park said.
"As the procedure allows foreigners wishing to enter SouthKorea to acquire travel permit electronically in advance, itwill serve as an efficient method that can effectively preventCOVID pandemic or other variants and in times when a new type ofinfectious disease emerges," Park said.
A pilot programme has been in place since May, and the fullsystem will be implemented on Sept. 1. South Korea will be thefifth country to adopt an ETA, an automated system used toidentify in advance the eligibility of visitors to enter thecountry without a visa, Park said.
The system will help sharply cut customs and processingtimes for travellers and make it a lot more convenient, headded. Before travelling, visitors will need to fill out anonline application and pay a 10,000 won ($8.64) fee. An ETA willbe valid for two years with multiple entries.
The implementation of ETA also comes amid a spike in thenumber of undocumented immigrants from countries with visawaivers that jumped to 207,000 in 2019 from 82,000 in 2016,according to the ministry data.
Under the current visa waiver programme, 112 nations wereoriginally eligible for the ETA.
The ETA will initially start with visitors from 49countries, including the United States, the UK, France andSpain.
($1 = 1,157.1700 won)
(Reporting by Sangmi Cha; Editing by Anil D'Silva) ((sangmi.cha@thomsonreuters.com;))
