A South Korean government official on Thursday said, Korean and U.S. officials are discussing a draft memorandum of understanding for Korea to join the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. ¡°We expect that the two countries will sign the MOU in mid-April,¡± he said on customary condition of anonymity.
Koreans queue to apply for a visa in front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul.
The government plans to issue electronic passports, a precondition to joining the program, on a pilot basis in March and issue them across the board around August. "If everything goes as planned, Korean people can travel to the U.S. without visas from the end of this year,¡± the official said. President Lee Myung-bak is reportedly considering using an e-passport when he visits the U.S. in mid-April.
