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7mo ago

South Korea Starts Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Tour Groups as Cruise Passengers Arrive

Officials frame the policy as a tourism jolt, offering assurances that screening is insulated from a recent network outage.

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A group of Chinese tourists arrives by ferry at a cruise terminal in the port city of Incheon, west of Seoul, on Sept. 29, 2025, as a temporary visa waiver program for Chinese group tourists who visit South Korea began the same day, as part of efforts to boost the nation's tourism market. The program, which runs through June next year, allows more than three Chinese tourists on group tours to travel to South Korea without visas for as many as 15 days. (Yonhap)
A group of Chinese tourists arrives by ferry at a cruise terminal in the port city of Incheon, west of Seoul, on Sept. 29, 2025, as a temporary visa waiver program for Chinese group tourists who visit South Korea began the same day, as part of efforts to boost the nation's tourism market. The program, which runs through June next year, allows more than three Chinese tourists on group tours to travel to South Korea without visas for as many as 15 days. (Yonhap)

Overview

  • The temporary scheme began on Sept. 29 and permits groups of three or more from mainland China to visit for up to 15 days through June 30 next year.
  • Designated travel agencies can file streamlined entry applications 24 hours before departure, replacing a five‑business‑day visa process.
  • A cruise from Tianjin with 2,189 passengers and 563 crew docked in Incheon on day one, drawing welcome events and tours to Seoul.
  • Retailers moved quickly, with Lotte and Shilla launching promotions, and Lotte anticipating more than 10,000 Chinese group visitors to its duty‑free stores in October.
  • Opposition lawmakers raised tracking concerns after a data center fire disrupted parts of a state network, while the Justice Ministry said immigration systems are separate and groups are pre‑screened as the government projects about one million additional visitors during the program.