Seoul, Oct 3 (IANS): More than 15,500 foreigners from visa-waiver countries used the new electronic travel authorisation system to enter South Korea in the first month of its introduction, Justice Ministry data revealed on Sunday.

A total of 15,811 foreign nationals applied for the Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) in September, and 15,556 of them were approved, according to the Ministry of Justice.

The K-ETA is an online electronic travel authorization that foreign visitors from visa-free nations need to obtain before entering Korea for the purposes of tourism, visiting relatives or business, reports Yonhap News Agency.

They are required to submit personal and other information through a website or a mobile application.

The government introduced the system last month for 49 countries, out of 112 with which it has visa-waiver agreements.

Eligible countries may change based on their COVID-19 situations.

By nationality, the US accounted for the majority with 10,710, or 68 percent, followed by 981 from France, 952 from Germany, 666 from the uK and 307 from the Netherlands.

The number of businesspeople that applied for the K-ETA came to 525.

Passengers with an ETA are exempt from submitting an arrival card and can expedite the arrival procedure by using the exclusive screening zone at the airport.