S Korea to offer Chinese visitors visa-free entry

South Korea said yesterday it would offer a visa exemption to Chinese visitors in the third quarter of the year to boost tourism amid sluggish domestic demand and ahead of an Asia-Pacific summit later this year.

The move comes after China's decision last November to extend visa-free entry to nationals from South Korea and other Asian and European countries traveling for business, tourism and family visits until the end of this year.

South Korea is scheduled to host a summit of leaders from 21 economies for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in the fourth quarter of this year in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, known for heritage tourism.

Last year, 16.4 million travelers visited South Korea, up 48 percent from a year earlier and compared with 17.5 million in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic. Chinese nationals made up the biggest share, accounting for 28 percent, according to government data.

Out of this total, nearly a third were women in their 20s and 30s.

South Korean popular culture ranging from K-pop music to fashion has gained global recognition in the last few decades, and authorities plan to try and leverage this further.

Reuters