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US renews visa waiver program for S. Koreans

June 5, 2015
Los Angeles' Koreatown is a popular destination for those visiting from South Korea. (Korea Times file)

Los Angeles’ Koreatown is a popular destination for those visiting from South Korea. (Korea Times file)

SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) — The United States has extended a visa waiver program for South Korea for two years again, the Foreign Ministry said Friday.

It would enable South Koreans to continue to travel to the U.S. for tourism or business without obtaining a visa for stays of up to 90 days.

“The U.S. government informed (us) through its embassy in South Korea that our country’s Visa Waiver Program member status has been extended again until March 2017,” it said in a press release.

South Korea, a key regional ally of the U.S. first won the status in 2008.

The U.S. has similar visa waiver programs with 37 other nations including Germany, Japan and Australia.

Washington conducts a review of whether to maintain the privilege for the member nations every two years, according to the ministry.