South Korea have issued a strongly worded protest against Japan's decision to quarantine South Korean visitors for two weeks, as coronavirus containment measures ignited a fresh diplomatic row between the Asian nations.
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Japan has joined the list of almost 100 countries that have imposed restrictions on South Korean travellers, barring arrivals from highly affected areas starting on Saturday and ordering a two-week quarantine for those from other regions.
The South Korean foreign ministry said Japan's ambassador would be summoned to explain Tokyo's decision and receive a formal complaint.
Seoul has previously summoned ambassadors from Vietnam and Singapore over similar travel restrictions.
"It is extremely regrettable Japan took this unreasonable and excessive step without sufficient prior consultation with us, and we strongly urge immediate reconsideration," it said on Friday.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Seoul would respond with countermeasures, although he gave no details on what actions could be taken.
The presidential Blue House discussed the issue at a meeting of its National Security Council, an official said.
The row came as the number of new cases in South Korea, the country with the biggest outbreak of the flu-like virus outside China, fell to 196 from 760 the previous day, for a total of 6284 infections.
The death toll rose by seven to 42, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
Vice-Health Minister Kim Gang-lip said fewer new cases were being counted as authorities had almost completed testing more than 200,000 followers of a church in the southeastern city of Daegu at the centre of South Korea's outbreak.
"It is difficult to predict future developments because there are secondary and tertiary infections happening around the country involving them," Kim told reporters.
Japan's chief government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, defended the travel restrictions, which also apply to visitors from China.
"The decision was the result of a comprehensive review of the information available about the situation in other countries and the effects of other measures," he said.
"I think the timing is appropriate."
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has come under intense criticism for the government's handling of the virus outbreak as Japan prepares to host the Tokyo Olympics in July.
Australian Associated Press
