South Korea is negotiating quarantine-free travel bubble agreements with other countries and plans to launch a mobile travel pass to store Covid-19 test certificates.

With Covid-19 cases on the decline and a mass vaccination campaign kicking off last week, the South Korean government is seeking ways to boost inbound and outbound tourism, including through travel bubble agreements.

Travel bubbles could mean two-way quarantine-free movement for those with a negative test Covid-19 test results. It is unclear if vaccinated individuals, which are expected to make up 60 to 70 per cent of the country’s population by September, will be exempt from testing requirements.

“The country will push ahead with the signing of travel bubble agreements for people to travel without restriction on the basis of the coronavirus situation,” said South Korea’s finance minister Hong Nam-ki, according to the Korean Herald.

Government officials declined to specify which countries are being considered. 

However, the country plans to soon unveil a travel pass pilot programme, allowing Covid-19 test results to be saved and displayed from a mobile app.