Mutual visa-free policies prove a win-win for China, S. Korea
Waivers to boost tourism, economic growth for both, experts said
He said travel to South Korea is a good idea now because of the short flight hours and the currently valid visa-free policy. "The popular scenic spots for Chinese travelers are the ancient Gyeongbokgung Palace and the shopping area of Myeong-dong in Seoul, as well as Hallasan in Jeju Island," he added.
"The government has set an ambitious target of drawing 5.36 million Chinese tourists this year, approaching the 6.02 million recorded in 2019 before the pandemic disrupted international travel … The Bank of Korea estimates that an increase of 1 million Chinese group tourists could raise the gross domestic product by up to 0.08 percentage points," reported the Korea Herald, South Korea's English-language newspaper.
The visa-free travel rollout was a positive response to China's previously launched visa-exemption policy for people of South Korea, and is bound to give a fillip to tourism and economic development on both sides.
The Chinese government announced in November 2024 that people holding regular passports of South Korea, on account of business trip, tourism, family visit, and transit, are allowed to enter the Chinese mainland free of visa from Nov 8,2024 to Dec 31 this year for up to 15 days.
