S’pore & South Korea Opening Fast Lane That’s Set to Launch This Friday (4 Sept)

The coronavirus might have infected over 25 million people and claimed 848k lives, but that’s not going to close every part of the world for months.

Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that they’ve concluded talks for a fast lane between Singapore and South Korea, and that’s set to start this Friday (4 Sept).

But if you’re hoping to head over to meet your oppas, you’d still have to wait.

S’pore & South Korea Opening Fast-Lane Set to Launch This Friday (4 Sept)

Currently, Singapore has fast-lane / green lane arrangements with three countries: China, Malaysia and Brunei.

If this sounds too chim, it basically means that you can travel to these countries, and people from these countries can travel to Singapore, too.

However, the travel must only be for business and official reasons. In other words, not for tourists.

By now, some of you might be wondering: where’s New Zealand?

Well, read on.

Today (2 September), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan spoke with Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Korea Kang Kyung-wha via telephone, and they welcomed the conclusion of bilateral negotiations on a fast lane for essential business and official travel between Singapore and South Korea.

The fast lane between the two countries will be launched on 4 September 2020.

Eligible travellers will have to abide by the mutually agreed terms and prevailing public health measures in the respective countries, such as health safeguards in the form of pre-departure and post-arrival testing as well as the need to adhere to a controlled itinerary for the first 14 days in the receiving country.

Operational details including the requirements, health protocols and application process will be published on the SafeTravel website by 4 September 2020.

In other words, by the end of this week, we’ll have fast lane (or green lane, or whatever you want to call it, as some other countries called it “travel bubbles” instead) arrangements for four countries: China, Malaysia, Brunei and South Korea.

So, where’s New Zealand?

One-Sided Love Lane for New Zealand

At this moment, people from New Zealand can come into Singapore but we can’t enter the country for any purposes. Yet.

Arranging these lanes or bubbles or whatever you want to call it is tricky because both countries have to agree on the arrangements.

For example, Singapore has now started discussions with Indonesia on a green lane, and yesterday, President Joko Widodo has said that he hoped the lane will open “immediately”, though looking at the number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia…

…more discussions might be necessary.

And as for the case of New Zealand, let’s just say that Singapore is friendzoned ah.