Temporary Visa-Free Entry for Group Tourists Allowed from September 29
Suggestions Include Improving Payment Convenience
and Joint Development of Tourism Products
With China's longest holiday, the National Day Golden Week (October 1-8), approaching, the Korean government has decided to implement a temporary visa-free entry policy for Chinese group tourists. However, a Chinese state-run media outlet has pointed out that for this policy to succeed, Korea must address issues such as payment inconveniences.
Tourists including Chinese visitors are shopping at a duty-free store in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
On September 22, the Global Times, a Chinese state-run English-language media outlet, stated in an editorial, "The Korean government's introduction of a visa-free policy for Chinese group tourists is expected to revitalize Korea's tourism industry," while making these claims.
The publication noted, "Chinese tourists who have visited Korea in the past have experienced inconveniences related to payment, language barriers, and cultural adaptation," and explained, "If these issues re-emerge during the peak travel season of the National Day Golden Week, they could directly affect visitor satisfaction and undermine the goodwill generated by the policy."
The editorial continued, "The success of the visa waiver measure depends not only on attracting tourists but also on deepening industrial cooperation between the two countries," emphasizing, "A key area is enhancing the convenience of cross-border payments." It added, "While Korea and China have established a foundation for cooperation in this field, there is still room for improvement."
Additionally, the editorial suggested that, given the popularity of Korean cultural products in China, Korea could develop themed tourism by utilizing famous filming locations of movies and dramas. It also pointed out that, as travel demand between the two countries expands with the implementation of the visa waiver policy, there is potential for further cooperation in various areas, such as increasing flight routes, strengthening cross-border financial services, and enhancing currency exchange collaboration.
To revitalize the tourism industry, the Korean government has decided to implement a temporary visa-free policy for Chinese tourists. Chinese group tourists consisting of three or more people, organized by designated travel agencies in Korea and abroad, will be able to visit Korea without a visa for up to 15 days from September 29, 2025, to June 30, 2026. Since November 2024, China has allowed Korean travelers to enter China without a visa.
According to the Korea Tourism Organization, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Korea reached approximately 4.6 million last year, which is about 76% of the 6.02 million recorded in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. The government expects that the resumption of visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists, which is being implemented for the first time in five years since the COVID-19 outbreak, will boost domestic demand if Chinese tourism demand increases.
Previously, the Bank of Korea estimated that every increase of 1 million Chinese group tourists could raise Korea's gross domestic product (GDP) by 0.08 percentage points.
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