Passengers go through departure procedures at the departure hall of Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 on the morning of the 14th, when the government lifted the special travel advisory for the first time in over two years since the spread of COVID-19. yunhap news
On the 18th (local time), the U.S. State Department drastically downgraded the travel advisory for Korea from Level 4, the highest level, to Level 1, the lowest.
The State Department’s travel recommendations are divided into three levels, from the lowest ‘general precaution’ level 1 to △ ‘enhanced precautions’ level 2 △ ‘reconsider travel’ level 3 △ ‘no travel’ level 4.
Until the previous day, Korea’s travel advisory was at Level 4, but it was adjusted to Level 1 within one day.
On the other hand, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lowered Korea’s travel advisory by one level on the same day, from Level 4, the highest level, to Level 3.
The State Department changed its travel recommendations to CDC standards in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but announced on the 14th that it would no longer work with the CDC.
Korea lowered to the lowest level 1 travel warning. U.S. State Department website capture
As a result, there are many confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Korea, but the spread has slowed, the vaccination rate is very high, the fatality rate is the lowest in the world, and it is interpreted that these measures were taken because most of the quarantine regulations except for wearing masks were lifted.
However, the U.S. State Department did not specify a specific reason for taking such a drastic measure.