ID :
25206
Sat, 10/18/2008 - 10:09
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/25206
The shortlink copeid
Bush will announce S. Korea's entry into visa waiver program: White House
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President George W. Bush will Friday announce South Korea's entry into the Visa Waiver Program, White House spokesperson Dana Perino said.
The program allows Korean citizens to stay in the U.S. for up to 90 days without
visas, and vice versa.
"Today in the Rose Garden the president will announce that U.S. negotiators have
completed significant new travel security agreements with seven visa waiver
program candidate countries: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Slovakia and South Korea," Perino said in a daily news briefing.
"The president will also underscore his support for continued expansion of the
Visa Waiver Program, also know as the VWP, to include the other so-called road
map countries, or candidates.," she said. "And this includes Bulgaria, Cyprus,
Greece, Malta, Poland and Romania."
The program already has 27 member states.
South Korea in August began issuing electronic passports as a precondition for
entry into the much-awaited program, which is expected to reduce long lines in
front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul.
More than 360,000 South Koreans apply for U.S. visas every year for tourism and
business. Each applicant is required to pay a non-refundable processing fee of
US$110.
Those who plan to study, cover news stories, seek employment or stay permanently
are required to get the relevant visas for entry.
The program will likely take effect in mid-November, when Seoul and Washington
are scheduled to sign an agreement on crime and terrorism prevention.
South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan met with Homeland Security Secretary
Michael Chertoff last month to agree on providing the criminal records of a
limited number of suspects so immigration authorities in each country can access
such information automatically at airports.
The automatic inquiry system is reciprocal and involves provision of information
on certain types of crimes involving only a small number of people.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Bush agreed in April to implement the
VWP by the end of the year.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President George W. Bush will Friday announce South Korea's entry into the Visa Waiver Program, White House spokesperson Dana Perino said.
The program allows Korean citizens to stay in the U.S. for up to 90 days without
visas, and vice versa.
"Today in the Rose Garden the president will announce that U.S. negotiators have
completed significant new travel security agreements with seven visa waiver
program candidate countries: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Slovakia and South Korea," Perino said in a daily news briefing.
"The president will also underscore his support for continued expansion of the
Visa Waiver Program, also know as the VWP, to include the other so-called road
map countries, or candidates.," she said. "And this includes Bulgaria, Cyprus,
Greece, Malta, Poland and Romania."
The program already has 27 member states.
South Korea in August began issuing electronic passports as a precondition for
entry into the much-awaited program, which is expected to reduce long lines in
front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul.
More than 360,000 South Koreans apply for U.S. visas every year for tourism and
business. Each applicant is required to pay a non-refundable processing fee of
US$110.
Those who plan to study, cover news stories, seek employment or stay permanently
are required to get the relevant visas for entry.
The program will likely take effect in mid-November, when Seoul and Washington
are scheduled to sign an agreement on crime and terrorism prevention.
South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan met with Homeland Security Secretary
Michael Chertoff last month to agree on providing the criminal records of a
limited number of suspects so immigration authorities in each country can access
such information automatically at airports.
The automatic inquiry system is reciprocal and involves provision of information
on certain types of crimes involving only a small number of people.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Bush agreed in April to implement the
VWP by the end of the year.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
