Seoul: South Korea will introduce a temporary visa waiver program for Chinese group tourists starting late September, aiming to boost domestic spending and the tourism market, government officials announced. The visa-free entry is set to be effective from September 29 to June 30 next year, following a decision made during a government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the decision follows Beijing's announcement last November to waive visa requirements for visitors from South Korea and several other countries, effective through the end of next year. This measure permits visitors to stay in China for up to 15 days without a visa. South Korea's relevant government agencies had been considering implementing a reciprocal measure for Chinese group tourists.
A government official stated that with South Korea's inbound tourism market recovering rapidly, the visa waiver program is expected to help boost demand for travel to Korea, revitalize regional economies, and fuel domestic consumption. In addition to the visa waiver program, the government plans to ease eligibility for fast-track immigration screening for foreigners attending international conferences in Korea.
Currently, a pilot program is in place to expedite immigration procedures for foreign participants in international events. The government now plans to lower the eligibility threshold for fast-track access from events with 500 or more foreign participants to those with 300 or more, officials reported.