The Chinese authorities sent a notice to airlines operating between the two countries on Tuesday, saying that all passengers coming from South Korea would have to undergo PCR testing on their arrival from February 2, with those tested positive required to be quarantined, the South Korean news agency reported.
Earlier in January, Beijing also suspended issuance of transit and short-term visas for South Korean nationals in retaliation to Seoul's toughened COVID-19 measures against travelers from China. The South Korean Foreign Ministry criticized the Chinese government's actions, stating that it should not impose restrictions on foreigners traveling to China for reasons other than those needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
In late December 2022, Seoul halted the issuance of short-term visas to Chinese citizens until February 2023 and started to require travelers from China to undergo COVID-19 testing before and after arriving in South Korea. The measures come as Beijing decided to ease its "zero tolerance" policy toward COVID-19 following mass protests in China, which led to a new massive outbreak in the country.