South Korea began allowing visa-free entry for Chinese tour groups on Monday, a move aimed at boosting its economy and strengthening relations with its neighbour.
Under the pilot programme, which runs until June next year, groups of at least three travellers from mainland China can visit South Korea without a visa for up to 15 days.
The measure coincides with China’s National Day holiday from October 1–8 and a series of South Korean public holidays during the same period.
South Korean businesses are preparing to tap into the expected rise in Chinese visitors. Shilla Duty Free has launched a Chinese cruise tour, while food delivery platform Baedal Minjok is adding Alipay and WeChat Pay as payment options.
The programme, first announced in March, mirrors China’s move last November to grant South Koreans 30-day visa exemptions. South Korea last offered a similar visa-free policy for mainland Chinese tourists from December 2017 to March 2018, during the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
President Lee Jae Myung’s administration hopes the new policy will pave the way for improved ties with Beijing ahead of a planned visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to an Asia-Pacific summit in South Korea in late October.
