Regarding the international tourist market, the Korean tourism industry is facing many "storms" due to the political instability after President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law as well as many recent problems such as the recent Jeju Air crash. This development has forced the governments of many countries such as China, Australia, the US, Canada, the UK... to issue warnings to their citizens to be cautious when planning to travel to Korea during this time.
The Chinese Embassy in Seoul has issued a stern warning to its citizens planning to travel to South Korea, saying that participating in political activities, especially protests related to the impeachment and arrest of President Yoon Suk-yeok, could lead to serious consequences such as deportation from the country.
The Korean tourism industry is facing many "storms"
Korean immigration law clearly states that foreigners are not allowed to engage in political activities, regardless of the type of visa they hold. To ensure their own safety, visitors should strictly follow Korean laws, stay away from protest areas, and always pay attention to security announcements.
South Korea is one of the popular tourist destinations for Chinese tourists due to its close geographical location, many direct flights, and close cultural ties between the two countries. According to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), more than 2.2 million Chinese tourists visited South Korea in the first 6 months of the year, surpassing the whole of 2023 with 2 million.
In the same situation, South Korea has made every effort to "revive" its tourism industry. A week after the accident that killed 179 people, the number of passengers canceling tickets increased, Jeju Air announced that it would cut 188 international flights departing from Busan in the first quarter of 2025 and will announce a general reduction plan this week to "improve operational stability".
South Korea struggles to recover from tourism hit by plane crash
Jeju Air is likely to see the biggest cuts in flights departing from Incheon, South Korea’s main gateway. The total number of flights cut by the airline in the first quarter of 2025 is expected to reach around 1,900. As pressure from both the market and the government grows, the airline faces the difficult task of restoring customer confidence and improving operational procedures to ensure safety in the future, according to the New York Times.
The South Korean government is planning to pilot visa-free entry for Chinese visitors and visa-free entry for some markets, including Vietnam, to revive the tourism industry. These plans were announced at a meeting on tourism promotion strategies held at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan-gu, Seoul last week.
These measures are part of a broader strategy to strengthen the resilience of the Korean tourism market through proactive and timely policy implementation based on close coordination with the tourism industry. To further support the tourism industry, the Korean government will amend the Tourism Promotion Act in the first half of next year to allow domestic tourists to stay at urban guesthouses, which were previously only available to foreigners. The change is expected to boost domestic tourism and provide more accommodation options for domestic tourists.
