The Korean Embassy in the Philippines has advised foreign seamen departing from the Philippines that they should present their polymerase chain reaction (PCR) certificate within 48 hours of departure date and submit it when they enter South Korea.
The PCR certificate should be issued by embassy-designated hospitals in the country. The embassy noted that “there have been many cases of violation in the submission of PCR certificates submitted by the seamen.”
Starting Sept. 8, the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) will be on guard for the following violations: submission of PCR certificates where issuance date is over 48 hours before the departure date, submission of PCR certificates issued by non-designated hospitals, submission of forged, altered or fake PCR certificates and non-submission of PCR certificates, the embassy added.
Seamen found in violation will face jail time of up to one year or fine of up to 10 million won (about $8,422 or P409,326). Their ships will also be restricted from entering South Korea in the future.
In July, the Korean government suspended the visa-free entry for seafarers after it noted that there were many cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) among them who entered South Korea.
Exempted from the rule are seafarers from the US, Guyana, Malta, Ireland, UK, Nicaragua, Dominican Federation, Mexico, Barbados, Venezuela, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, Guam, New Caledonia, Palau, Monaco, Vatican, San Marino, Andorra, Albania and Slovenia.
Accredited hospitals by the embassy for COVID-19 swab testing are St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City and Taguig, Makati Medical Center, Manila Doctors Hospital, The Medical City, Lung Center of the Philippines, Baguio Medical Center, PRI Medical Center in Pampanga, The Medical City-Clark, ARC Hospital in Cebu, UCMED University of Cebu Medical Center, QualiMed Hospital in Iloilo City, Divine World Hospital in Leyte and Prime Care Alpha COVID-19 Testing Laboratory in Cebu.
Foreigners from the Philippines are also required by the Korean government to present their negative COVID-19 PCR test result upon check-in at the airport and arrival at the quarantine authority in South Korea.