Vaccine / No quarantine for Covishield vaccinated Indians in South Korea: Korean envoy

New Delhi: Indians vaccinated with double doses of the Covishield vaccine will be able to enter South Korea freely as South Korea is going to withdraw the mandatory two-week quarantine guidelines from July 1. However, those inoculated with Covaxin will have to remain in quarantine for two weeks.

In an exclusive interaction with ANI on Wednesday, South Korea's envoy to India Shin Bong-Kil said: "The South Korean government has decided to withdraw the mandatory two-week quarantine if individuals have fully vaccinated. There is no need to serve a mandatory quarantine if the person took Covishield, but those vaccinated for Covaxin are required to serve a two-week quarantine."

Meanwhile, South Korea's ambassador to India has explained the restrictions only for the general public and not for heads of state and high dignitaries.

"We have seen that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken Covaxin and if PM Modi wants to visit Korea at any point of time he can visit Korea without quarantine. High ranking officials, for example, if Chief of Army Staff India visited Korea, he does not need to be in quarantine," he said.

Further, he lauded India for the decision to provide vaccines to the neighbouring country free of cost and said it is a great gesture from India.

"As a diplomat, I think it's a good gesture to provide vaccines to the surrounding countries of India... If India had not helped them, then who would have come forward to help the neighbouring country like Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives and others. I think this is a good gesture from India. We should help each other," the Korean envoy said.