South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday that the employees of 143 Korean firms would depart on two chartered flights arranged by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The firms would cover the flights’ costs, the Yonhap News Agency reported.

After landing at the Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh Province, the employees would be quarantined in hotels for the next 14 days per existing Vietnamese Covid-19 safety policies.

All the employees have tested negative for the novel coronavirus before boarding the flight, the report said.

Earlier this month, around 1,000 foreign experts, mostly Chinese and South Koreans, arrived in the north and north central provinces of the country and were quarantined on arrival. Many of them work in electronics and other manufacturing industries.

Vietnam has banned entry for foreign nationals, including those of Vietnamese origin and their family members, starting March 22.

Only Vietnamese nationals and foreigners with diplomatic and official passports, and certain business managers, experts and high-skilled workers are allowed to enter the country now and are quarantined.

Over 20,000 foreigners have not been able to enter Vietnam for work, according to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Vietnam has had 270 Covid-19 cases, of which 48 are active, including eight cases of relapse. The latest two cases were recorded four days ago, and there has been no community transmission since April 16.

The pandemic has spread to 210 countries and territories, with the reported death toll climbing to more than 212,500.