S. Korea set to join U.S. visa waiver program: ministry

SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is expected to become a new member of the
U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) next month, as the two sides have reached a deal
on related details, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

"The U.S. is likely to announce the new member nations of the VWP, including
South Korea, around mid-October and put into effect the visa waiver for South
Koreans in the middle of January next year," ministry spokesman Moon Tae-young
said.
South Korea, as one of the largest sources of students and travelers to the U.S.,
has long sought to join the VWP, which will enable its nationals to enter and
stay in the U.S. without visas for up to 90 days.
Earlier in the day, South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan and U.S. Homeland
Security Secretary Michael Chertoff signed a deal on exchanging information on
suspected criminals, clearing the last hurdle for Seoul's bid for the VWP.
"The two nations will first confirm whether a traveler committed a certain type
of crime in the form of 'yes' or 'no' through a database system," Moon said.
The Ministry of Government Legislation and the Cabinet will soon review the terms
of the agreement, including sharing of the criminal record, he added.
The South Korean government plans to sign a formal deal with the U.S. on the
entry into the VWP and request ratification by the National Assembly.