South Korea grants visa-free transit to Vietnamese citizens.

The South Korean government has just introduced a new visa program for Southeast Asian countries, including a decision to waive visa requirements for tourists from these countries arriving at regional airports. Specifically, tourists will be visa-free for transit stays of up to 72 hours at local airports in the country. This decision will take effect from January 2020.

As part of its national tourism promotion strategy, the South Korean government is also planning to sign an agreement with ASEAN to allow young people in the region to participate in one-year language study tours in South Korea.

Additionally, the South Korean government is also considering extending the visa-free period – currently only 5 days – for group tourists from Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia when they visit Jeju Island.

These tourism promotion changes come as the number of international visitors to South Korea reached a record high this year, estimated at around 17.4 million, a 13% increase compared to 2018. The South Korean government hopes that international visitors will shift to smaller cities and districts.

Through these measures, the South Korean government hopes to usher in a new era – welcoming 20 million foreign tourists and 380 million domestic trips with spending of approximately 120 trillion won (equivalent to 101 billion USD).

My Tong