South Korean soldiers wearing protective gear spray disinfectant on the street to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19, at Gangnam district in Seoul on Thursday. South Korea’s total number of novel coronavirus cases – the largest outside China – rose above 6,000. Photo: AFP

 
South Korea's presidential Blue House on Friday expressed strong regret over Japan's entry restriction on people from South Korea amid the spread of the COVID-19.

Chung Eui-yong, top national security adviser for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, convened a National Security Council (NSC) meeting earlier in the day, according to the Blue House.

The statement, unveiled after the meeting, said NSC members expressed strong regret over the measures taken by the Japanese government towards the South Korean people.

Japan said on Thursday that people arriving from South Korea will be quarantined for up to two weeks at designated facilities over concern about the COVID-19 spread.

South Korea's confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 6,284 on Friday, with the death toll reaching 43.

Despite the call from the main opposition United Future Party, the South Korean government has refused to impose entry restrictions on people from countries affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, including Japan.

The Blue House statement said Japan lost its faith from the international community because of its ambiguous and passive quarantine efforts, while South Korea sternly controlled and managed the COVID-19 outbreak through the scientific and transparent quarantine system that is highly evaluated by the rest of the world.

It noted that the Japanese government's unreasonable actions, taken without first consulting with the South Korean government, were not understandable, adding that Seoul would review corresponding measures under the principle of reciprocity.