According to People’s Daily Online on August 7, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok announced on August 6 that from September 29 this year until June 30 next year, South Korea will grant temporary visa-free entry to Chinese group tourists. The move aims to revive the tourism market, stimulate local economies, and boost domestic demand.
Kim chaired a special policy meeting on tourism activation where the plan was officially unveiled. The South Korean government expects that easing entry restrictions will attract more Chinese visitors, providing concrete support to tourism and related industries across the country.
Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Dai Bing commented on social media that this is great news for travelers and will further promote people-to-people exchanges between the two neighbors. Since China implemented a unilateral visa waiver trial for South Koreans in November last year, travel between the two countries has rebounded quickly. Frequent visits between the neighboring countries help deepen mutual understanding and friendship.
Overall, South Korea’s new visa policy is expected to inject fresh momentum into China-South Korea tourism cooperation and open up more opportunities for economic and cultural exchange.
(Source: People’s Daily Online, August 7, 2025)
