Korea to Ease Visa Restrictions for Chinese Tourists

From the end of this month to June 30 next year, Chinese group tourists will be permitted to travel to Korea for up to 15 days without a visa. This initiative is expected to significantly boost tourism, particularly coinciding with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled for late October to early November. Industry experts anticipate this move will revitalize the struggling tourism sector.

■ 15-Day Visa-Free Travel Across Korea

According to a joint declaration on July 7th from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the State Coordination Office, group tourists organized by three or more domestic and foreign travel agencies will be eligible for visa-free entry for up to 15 days.

Entry and departure are generally required to be via the same mode of transportation (air or sea).

to mitigate the risk of illegal stays, dedicated travel agencies handling Chinese group tourists must be registered and designated by both Korean and Chinese authorities. Korean agencies will be listed on a designated website, and the Ministry of Justice’s immigration agency will screen tourist lists for high-risk individuals, such as those with prior immigration violations or illegal residency histories, providing travel agencies with notifications 12-24 hours before arrival.

Individuals identified as high-risk will be excluded from the visa exemption and will be required to obtain visas through standard overseas channels.

Stringent administrative sanctions will be imposed on travel agencies if the rate of unauthorized departures exceeds 2% per quarter, potentially leading to the revocation of their designated status.