South Korea has joined the European Union’s digital COVID-19 certificate system, to come into effect from Friday. The connection to the system allows certificates of vaccination issued in South Korea to be valid in EU countries, and vice versa.

“The equivalent COVID-19 certificates will facilitate travel between South Korea and the 31 member states of the EU,” the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s commissioner Peck Kyong-ran said in a press release Friday.

The holder of the EU digital COVID-19 certificate is exempt from travel restrictions like testing or quarantine.

Currently the EU digital COVID-19 certificate recognizes vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency, including ones made by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax -- all of which are ones primarily distributed in South Korea.

The validity of the certificate lasts for nine months since the receipt of the completion of a primary vaccine series. The validity period of doses administered additionally beyond the primary series is not yet determined.

South Korea has similar equivalent certification systems with Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Last month South Korea removed its quarantine requirement for both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers alike, while they are still asked to submit test results for COVID-19 before and after arrival.

By Kim Arin (arin@heraldcorp.com)