BEIJING/SEOUL -- China has agreed to resume visa issuance for South Korean students, employees hired to work in the country and those with residence permits, Seoul's top envoy in Beijing said Monday.

Ambassador Jang Ha-sung told reporters that the two countries have recently agreed on visa issuance for the three groups: students who were studying or plan to study in China, employees holding Z work visas and those who have valid residence permits.

Sources said that visa issuance is expected to resume in early August.

It marks further lifting of entry restrictions that Beijing imposed on South Korea in March over coronavirus concerns. In April, Seoul and Beijing also agreed to run a "fast-track" entry system for businesspeople in exception to entry curbs as a way to minimize economic fallout from COVID-19.

"Talks have been under way to expand the entry exceptions from the fast track to other essential travel. We will be discussing details for the visa resumption, including curtailing the isolation period and others, so that we can put the measure into practice as soon as possible," a foreign ministry official in Seoul said. (Yonhap)