Seoul: The government of South Korea is currently urging the United States to provide clear information to South Korean visa applicants regarding the reported suspension of new student visa interviews, as stated by the foreign ministry.
According to Yonhap News Agency, foreign ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong addressed this issue during a press briefing, following reports that the U.S. Embassy in South Korea had paused the scheduling of new student visa interviews. This development is possibly linked to Washington's reported plans to implement social media vetting for visa applicants.
Lee stated that the South Korean government is actively monitoring the situation and maintaining necessary communication with the U.S. He emphasized the need for the U.S. to provide essential information and timely notifications to South Koreans regarding the situation.
Earlier reports by the U.S. news outlet Politico indicated that the Donald Trump administration had instructed U.S. Embassies and consular offices to halt new interviews for student visa applicants as it considers implementing social media vetting for all such applicants.
The U.S. Embassy in Seoul has not yet confirmed whether it has completely suspended the scheduling of new interviews. It has only mentioned that the scheduling for non-immigrant visa interviews remains flexible and that visa applicants can continue to submit their applications.