SEOUL, MARCH 20 – South Korea announced on Thursday (Mar 20) that it will grant a temporary visa exemption for Chinese visitors in the third quarter of 2025 to stimulate tourism amid sluggish domestic demand and in preparation for an upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
This decision follows China’s move last November to extend visa-free entry for South Korean nationals and other Asian and European travellers visiting for business, tourism, and family reunions until the end of 2025.
“We will implement a temporary visa waiver for Chinese group tourists in the third quarter to accelerate the recovery of Chinese visitor numbers,” said Choi Sang-mok, South Korea’s acting president.
South Korea is set to host the APEC summit in the fourth quarter of this year in Gyeongju, a city renowned for its cultural heritage tourism.
In 2024, 16.4 million tourists visited South Korea, marking a 48% increase compared to the previous year. However, this was still below the 17.5 million arrivals recorded in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. According to government data, Chinese nationals accounted for 28% of all visitors, the largest share among foreign tourists.
Among these, nearly one-third were women in their 20s and 30s, reflecting the influence of South Korea’s globally popular culture, including K-pop, fashion, and beauty trends.
To further attract tourists, the government plans to introduce specialized travel packages featuring Korean cuisine and beauty products, aiming to reach 18.5 million foreign visitors this year.
South Korea’s economic growth is expected to slow in 2025, as consumer spending remains weak due to ongoing political uncertainty following the brief and unexpected imposition of martial law last December, which also affected foreign tourism.
