China's embassy in South Korea halts issue of short-term visas

The incident raised concern about the spread of the virus from China after Beijing abruptly abandoned its tough "zero-COVID" policy and opened its borders despite widespread domestic infections.

The Chinese embassy in South Korea has suspended the issue of short-term visas for South Korean visitors, it said on Tuesday, the first retaliatory move against nations imposing COVID-19 curbs on travelers from China.

The embassy will adjust the policy subject to the lifting of South Korea's "discriminatory entry restrictions" against China, it said on its official WeChat account. The announcement comes a day after Foreign Minister Qin Gang expressed concern about the restrictions in a telephone call with his South Korean counterpart Park Jin, according to China's foreign ministry.

Last week, South Korean police tracked down a Chinese man who went missing while awaiting quarantine after having tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival. The incident raised concern about the spread of the virus from China after Beijing abruptly abandoned its tough "zero-COVID" policy and opened its borders despite widespread domestic infections.