Vietnamese Tourists Can Now Transit Korean Airports Visa‑Free for 72 Hours

Vietnamese travelers transiting through Korean airports on their way to destinations like the United States, Canada, and Japan can now stay in Korea for up to 72 hours without a visa. 

This new benefit is part of the “Korea Transit Tourism” program introduced to make travel more convenient for Vietnamese passengers using Korea as a transit point.

Park Eun Jung, the Chief Representative of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) in Vietnam, highlighted that tourism has been a key factor in deepening the friendship between Vietnam and Korea over the past 33 years since the two nations established diplomatic ties. 

Tourism continues to be a key connector, along with cooperation in politics, economics, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.

In 2024, the number of travelers between the two countries crossed the five million mark for the first time. This milestone placed Vietnam as the second largest source of visitors from Southeast Asia to Korea after the Philippines. 

In 2025, Korea had already welcomed 224,000 Vietnamese tourists, an 11% increase from the same period last year.

In 2025, KTO is working to build stronger connections with the Vietnamese market through various promotional activities. One of these efforts is the “Be the Kreator” program, which involves selecting 20 young Vietnamese content creators living and studying in Korea. 

Through their work, these creators will help promote Korea by sharing content that presents the country from a fresh and relatable point of view.

The visa-free 72-hour stay under the Korea Transit Tour program is designed for travelers passing through Korea to other destinations. It gives visitors time to explore Korean culture and attractions during their layover. 

Incheon Airport is also offering services to support these travelers, especially those planning multi-country trips with Korea as a transit stop.

KTO is also partnering with Vietnamese travel companies to develop new tour packages for Vietnamese travelers. These include K-Culture tours, premium experiences, sports-focused trips, and support for charter groups traveling to Korea. 

According to Ms Park, these efforts are meant to give Vietnamese tourists more meaningful and memorable visits to Korea.