Travel for up to 15 days...
Policy to be implemented for 9 months starting September 29
Stronger enforcement to prevent illegal stays and other side effects
Starting from September 29, groups of three or more Chinese tourists will be allowed to travel throughout South Korea without a visa for up to 15 days.
On September 7, the government announced the detailed implementation plan for the visa-free entry system for Chinese group tourists. At the "Tourism Revitalization Mini Policy Task Force (TF) Meeting" chaired by the Prime Minister on August 6, the government decided to implement the visa-free entry system for Chinese group tourists from September 29, 2024, to June 30, 2025. Since then, relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Justice have discussed the specifics and announced them on this day.
Travel for up to 15 days... Implementation for 9 months starting September 29
The temporary visa-free entry policy for Chinese group tourists applies to groups of three or more recruited by designated travel agencies. Domestic designated travel agencies are appointed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, while overseas designated travel agencies (visa application agencies) are designated by the Korean diplomatic missions in China. Group tourists entering under this system can travel throughout South Korea without a visa for up to 15 days.
Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, which is subject to the "Special Act on the Establishment of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and the Creation of an International Free City," will continue to allow both individual and group Chinese tourists to visit visa-free for up to 30 days, as before.
To perform the work of a domestic designated travel agency, an agency must apply for registration as a "visa-free designated travel agency for Chinese group tourists" with the Ministry of Justice immigration office, choosing from among the domestic designated travel agencies appointed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. After applying, the agency must complete registration as a domestic designated travel agency by joining the HiKorea website, once confirmed by the Ministry of Justice immigration office. Registered domestic designated travel agencies must upload the list of group tourists to the HiKorea website at least 24 hours before entry (36 hours before entry if arriving by ship).
To perform the work of an overseas designated travel agency, an agency must apply for designation as a "visa-free designated travel agency for Chinese group tourists" with the relevant Korean diplomatic mission in China, choosing from among the visa application agencies designated by the mission. The diplomatic mission will notify the Ministry of Justice immigration office of the application, and the immigration office will inform both the mission and the agency of the designation result. Overseas designated travel agencies are not required to join the HiKorea website or upload group tourist lists.
Stronger enforcement to prevent illegal stays and other side effects
The government also announced plans to strengthen management to prevent side effects such as an increase in illegal stays resulting from the visa-free entry policy.
First, the Ministry of Justice immigration office will review the group tourist lists submitted by domestic designated travel agencies in advance to check for high-risk individuals, such as those subject to entry restrictions or with a history of illegal stay. Those identified as high-risk will be excluded from visa-free entry and will be required to obtain a separate visa from an overseas diplomatic mission.
Additionally, if the rate of unauthorized departures among group tourists recruited by domestic or overseas designated travel agencies exceeds a certain threshold, the government will impose administrative penalties on the relevant travel agencies to minimize side effects such as illegal stays.
For domestic designated travel agencies, if there is a history of administrative sanctions due to unauthorized departures, the requirements for new or renewed designation will be strengthened. If a tourist departure incident occurs due to intent or collusion, the agency's designation will be immediately revoked. The threshold for revocation based on the quarterly average unauthorized departure rate will be tightened from 5% to 2%. Furthermore, if there is a history of administrative sanctions due to unauthorized departures, the agency's evaluation score will be reduced, and if the designation is revoked due to unauthorized departures, new designation will be prohibited for the next two years. The government also announced plans to strengthen monitoring and education, including prohibiting low-cost tourism and forced shopping, providing guidance for group tour leaders, and efforts to prevent unauthorized departures.
For overseas designated travel agencies, any agency with a record of administrative suspension (six months or longer) within the past two years as of the application date will be excluded from designation. If the quarterly average unauthorized departure rate is 2% or higher, the agency's designation will be revoked, and the same penalties will apply to agencies handling general visa or group electronic visa applications at overseas diplomatic missions.
The government stated that the implementation of the temporary visa-free entry system for Chinese group tourists is expected to have a positive ripple effect across the tourism industry, including the food service, accommodation, and duty-free sectors. It is also expected to revitalize local economies by increasing the influx of tourists not only to the Seoul metropolitan area but also to major regional destinations. Furthermore, the government expects that expanding people-to-people exchanges between Korea and China will greatly contribute to mutual understanding and friendship between the citizens of both countries.
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