The government imposed a mandatory ten-day quarantine on all international arrivals including South Korean nationals for the next two weeks.

Health authorities made the decision on Wednesday in a meeting of related ministries after the country's first cases of the omicron coronavirus variant were confirmed. 

Under the measure, all international arrivals will be placed under a ten-day quarantine for two weeks from Friday, regardless of their nationalities and vaccination status. 

South Korean nationals and foreigners visiting for long-term stays will be put into self-isolation at their residency, with the PCR test required before and after entry and before being released from quarantine. 

Foreigners on a short-term stay will be quarantined at a government-designated temporary facility. 

Starting Friday, the government will add Nigeria to the list of countries subject to tougher quarantine measures and entry restrictions.  

It also decided to ban direct flights to and from Ethiopia for the next two weeks from Saturday.