South Korea will temporarily allow visa-free entry for tourist groups from China starting September 29 through June 2026, the government announced on Wednesday. The measure is designed to revive inbound tourism ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
The decision follows China’s move last November to offer visa exemptions to South Koreans and travelers from several other countries. South Korea first revealed plans for reciprocal visa easing in March, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the announcement was strategically timed ahead of China’s early October holiday period, with expectations that the influx of tourists will stimulate the local economy.
“This initiative comes amid recovering foreign tourist numbers and will help support the domestic economy,” the ministry said after a meeting on revitalizing tourism ahead of the APEC gathering.
The summit will take place from October 31 to November 1 in Gyeongju, a historic city in southeastern South Korea. Leaders from 21 APEC economies are expected to attend, and there is speculation that Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump may hold separate bilateral talks on the sidelines.
The visa-free entry is also viewed as a gesture to improve China–South Korea relations under the new liberal administration of President Lee Jae Myung.
