Foreigners visiting South Korea and Koreans traveling abroad remain dismally low amid the virus-related restrictions.

The number of foreign visitors in Korea totaled 68,797 in August, down 95.7 percent from the same month a year ago, according to the Korea Tourism Organization on Wednesday.

Chinese tourists numbered 16,275, down 97.2 percent on year. Air travel between the two countries had been sharply curtailed following the outbreak, with each airline limited to just one flight.

American tourists plunged 84.6 percent to 13,368. Japanese visitors dipped 99.6 percent to 1,275.

The number of Koreans going abroad totaled 88,888 in August, down 96.3 percent from the year-ago period.

By Kim Hyo-jin

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