South Korea To Free Visa For Chinese Tourists To Improve Tourism Sector

Illustration of Incheon International Airport. South Korea. (Wikimedia Commons/Kanchi1979)

JAKARTA - The South Korean authorities plan to offer visa exemptions for Chinese tourists in the third quarter of this year to increase tourism amid sluggish domestic demand and ahead of the summit of cooperation between Asian-Pacific countries later this year, in an announcement issued Thursday.

The move comes after Beijing last November decided to extend visa exemptions for citizens from South Korea, other Asian and European countries traveling for businesses, tours and family visits until the end of this year.

"We will introduce temporary visa exemptions for group tourists from China in the third quarter to accelerate the recovery of the number of Chinese visitors," said South Korean President Choi Sang-mok, quoted by Reuters on March 20.

South Korea is scheduled to host a summit of leaders from 21 countries for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) in the fourth quarter of this year in the city of Gyeongju in the southeast, which is known for cultural heritage tourism.

Last year, 16.4 million tourists visited South Korea, up 48 percent from the previous year and compared to 17.5 million in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. According to data from the Ginseng State government, Chinese citizens are the largest number, reaching 28 percent. Of this total, almost a third are women in their 20s and 30s.

South Korea's popular culture from K-pop music to fashion has gained global recognition in recent decades, with authorities planning to try and take advantage of it further.

The government will also prepare additional measures aimed at attracting more tourists, such as special tour packages for Korean food and beauty products in an effort to attract 18.5 million visitors this year.

South Korea's economic growth is expected to slow down this year, with consumer spending remaining weak amid constant political uncertainty sparked by the brief and unexpected imposition of martial law in December, which also had an impact on foreign tourism.