South Korea Introduces 9-Month Visa-Free Entry for Group Travelers from China

South Korea will introduce a temporary visa-free entry policy for Chinese group travelers starting September 29 and continuing through June 30 next year. 

The decision was announced on Wednesday following a government meeting led by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, focused on increasing domestic tourism.

The new policy comes just ahead of China’s National Day holidays in October. It is part of a broader push to revive the local economy through increased foreign tourism. 

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the timing of the measure is expected to bring immediate economic benefits as international arrivals continue to climb.

Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Dai Bing posted on social media on Wednesday, saying the policy is good news for Chinese travelers heading to South Korea. 

He mentioned that China has allowed visa-free entry for South Koreans since November last year, which has led to a sharp rise in two-way travel. He added that strong people-to-people exchanges strengthen understanding and friendship between the two nations.

The Chinese Embassy in South Korea issued a statement on Tuesday emphasizing that both countries are close neighbors and key partners. It added that building stronger ties is in the mutual interest of their citizens. 

The embassy also noted that under the new South Korean government of President Lee Jae Myung, bilateral engagement has increased and set a positive tone for future cooperation.

Flight and accommodation bookings show that South Korea ranks among the top three destinations for Chinese tourists this summer. With the group visa waiver in place, officials expect interest to remain high throughout the second half of the year.

Last year, around 4.6 million Chinese nationals visited South Korea and made up over a quarter of the country’s 16.3 million international arrivals.