[Report] First Day of Strengthened Quarantine for Chinese Visitors... "Myeongdong Commercial Area Barely Reviving"

Around 11 a.m. on the 2nd, Myeongdong street was visited. A tour guide is explaining directions to a foreign tourist asking for help.
Photo by Hwang Seoyul chestnut@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Seoyul] "It seems necessary to strengthen quarantine measures until COVID-19 is under control in China. However, I am worried that COVID-19 might spread widely once again. I hope no new variables arise." (Kang, 66, who runs a general store on the streets of Myeongdong, Seoul)

At around 11 a.m. on the 2nd, the Myeongdong area was visited. Despite the subzero temperatures on Monday, the streets were filled with foreign tourists from Southeast Asia, Japan, China, and the West, as air routes reopened following the easing of COVID-19 quarantine measures. Tourists asking for directions gathered around tour guides dressed in red. Jang Hyeji (27), a sales clerk at a general store, said, "The atmosphere is very lively on weekends, and even on weekdays, the number of people increases in the evening," conveying a noticeably different atmosphere compared to last year.

However, unlike the bustling atmosphere, merchants' concerns are deepening again. On the 30th of last month, the quarantine authorities announced the 'Strengthened Quarantine Measures for Entrants from China,' which mandates COVID-19 testing before and after entry. Starting that day, the issuance of short-term visas at Chinese consulates was restricted for one month to purposes such as diplomatic and official duties, essential business operations, and humanitarian reasons, effectively making it difficult for Chinese nationals to visit Korea for short-term travel. Jang said, "Many of the customers who come in the morning are Chinese, so I think there will be some impact." Park (70), who runs a street stall, also said, "Although the number of Chinese tourists has decreased significantly, they play a big role in revitalizing the Myeongdong commercial district, so there are many concerns."

Around 1 p.m. on the 2nd, the streets of Myeongdong were even more crowded than in the morning, with nearby office workers and foreign tourists mingling together. Photo by Hwang Seoyul chestnut@

In fact, as COVID-19 has prolonged, the nationalities of tourists visiting Korea have diversified, and the proportion of Chinese tourists among all tourists has significantly decreased. According to the Ministry of Justice's Immigration and Foreign Policy Headquarters, from January to November 2021 alone, the number of Chinese entrants was 129,633, the highest number entering Korea. In contrast, during the same period last year, the nationalities of entrants diversified to include the United States, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, etc., and China dropped to 6th place in the number of entrants (125,596).

Because of this, some merchants said that the reduction in Chinese tourists itself has less impact. However, they also agreed that they are afraid the commercial district might be hit again if COVID-19 spreads once more. Kang said, "Compared to before, the proportion of Chinese tourists affecting sales has decreased a lot, but if COVID-19 spreads again, I worry we might go back to the old days. That is my biggest concern. We are just starting to settle down, so I hope the situation does not worsen enough to shatter our expectations." Kim Hyunseung (43), who runs a bag store, said, "Many Southeast Asians use the store, so the impact from the suspension of short-term Chinese visa issuance might be less, but there is concern about the spread of COVID-19."

In the case of clothing stores, there was a response that the impact might be greater because high-purchasing-power tourists are limited to Chinese and Japanese visitors, whose seasons are similar to Korea’s. Lee (50), who runs a clothing store, said, "Since we sell according to the season, there are many winter clothes in the store, but tourists from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, who have been coming a lot recently, do not buy much because the weather is warm." He added, "With the weak yen, Japanese tourists are also hesitant, and now with Chinese tourists stopping their visits, I am worried again." He continued, "People say Myeongdong has revived just by seeing the crowded streets, and rent is showing signs of rising again, but there is no change in sales, so I am very worried."