Korea’s visa-free entry program for Chinese tour groups is drawing public backlash, with more than 52,000 citizens signing a petition for its cancellation just two weeks before it is set to begin.
The public backlash, amid an undercurrent of rising anti-China sentiment, is being fueled by a mix of historical grievances, economic competition and a nationalist reaction to what’s perceived by many Koreans as Beijing’s assertive cultural and political influence in the region.
Scheduled to run from Sept. 29 through next June, the visa-free initiative has drawn criticism amid growing concerns over safety and potential abuse. Petitioners cite a mosquito-borne viral outbreak in China’s Guangdong Province, which has recorded more than 10,000 cases, warning that increased travel could threaten public health. They note that infected mosquitoes can be carried by airplanes — a phenomenon known as “airport malaria,” or more broadly, “airport-borne vector transmission,” a recognized public health risk.
“The government, which is responsible for the health of its people, should immediately withdraw the visa-free program,” the author of the petition wrote on the National Assembly website. “We demand thorough monitoring and countermeasures in regard to the risks associated with visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists.”
Under the new initiative, groups of three or more Chinese nationals arriving via certified travel agencies will be able to enter Korea for up to 15 days without a visa. It was introduced in a bid to revitalize the tourism sector. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, 8.07 million Chinese tourists visited Korea in 2016, but numbers plummeted following Beijing’s retaliation against the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence deployment by throttling tourism to the country and the COVID-19 pandemic. Although arrivals recovered to 4.6 million in 2024, this figure is still well below pre-COVID levels.
Many government and business leaders tout the program’s potential economic benefits, but many ― including lawmakers from the conservative opposition People Power Party (PPP) ― remain skeptical about the risks involved.
“Although promoting tourism and boosting the economy are being cited, there are concerns that the actual effect may be limited,” said PPP spokesman Rep. Park Seong-hoon. “Also, Jeju Island, where visa-free entry is already in effect, has received a flood of complaints related to Chinese tourists. Issues such as illegal stays and ‘disruptive behavior’ have spread through social media and news reports.”
The visa-free program is part of the Lee Jae Myung administration’s apparent shift to improve ties with China, contrasting with the previous government’s approach. Last week, police banned protests near the Chinese Embassy in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, after a Cabinet meeting in which the president said rallies insulting tourists from a specific country should be treated as “disruptive acts” rather than expressions of freedom.
But critics argue the measure is inconsistent and unfair, given that anti-U.S. demonstrations are allowed near the American embassy.
“Do you not see the anti-American protests held by Kim Min-woong, the brother of Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and head of Candlelight Action, along with groups like the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, Korean Peasants League and the Progressive Party?” asked the PPP spokesman. “The Lee Jae Myung administration should immediately stop its submissive diplomacy toward China and put the safety and national interests of the Korean people first.”
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