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Although the number of international tourists to South Korea in the first four months of this year has recovered to 90% compared to the same period in 2019, the majority are individual tourists, so the tourism industry's revenue recovery remains slow. Recognizing that the tourism culture has changed, with an increase in individual tourists rather than group tours focusing on cultural experiences rather than shopping, the South Korean government has developed a comprehensive plan to provide amenities for foreign tourists.
The K-pop Visa Program is a cultural trainee visa program for foreigners who want to learn about K-pop dance or receive training at Korean entertainment companies.
The Hallyu wave of Korean culture is taking the world by storm.
Additionally, South Korea will introduce tourism programs incorporating major K-pop events in the latter half of this year. The South Korean government also plans to expand cultural experience programs appealing to young tourists, including on-site photo printing or personalized color analysis.
Many young people want to go to South Korea because they love the country's K-pop culture.
The benefits for those granted a K-pop visa include studying at prestigious Korean art academies, attending K-pop performances and cultural events, and experiencing Korean culture in the most authentic way. The K-pop visa program is expected to attract international tourists to Korea, especially young K-pop fans, and to promote Korean culture to the world more effectively.
To facilitate international tourists, South Korea will expand the scope of K-ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization System) registration for group tourists and simplify the registration process. Starting in July of this year, South Korea will also pilot a program to issue Korean cultural training visas to foreigners wishing to study K-pop dance or Korean music.
In addition, South Korea has expanded its luggage transportation service from KTX high-speed train stations to hotels at 16 KTX stations and sells transportation cards for tourists on flights entering South Korea. These cards are valid for 1 to 5 days in major cities across South Korea.
Earlier, on June 17, the South Korean government held a meeting of ministers related to the economic sector and announced a plan to boost international tourism to South Korea.
With this policy, the South Korean government aims to attract 30 million international tourists and generate $30 billion in tourism revenue by March 2025.
Efforts to promote tourism are helping South Korea gradually establish itself as an attractive destination for international tourists, especially K-pop fans. New tourism programs and policies designed to facilitate travel promise to attract a large number of visitors to South Korea in the near future, contributing to the country's economic and cultural development.
