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Businesses optimistic about visa-free entry program for Chinese tourists though anti-China protests continue

Published: 30 Sep. 2025, 13:51

Foreign tourists arrive at Incheon International Airport on Sept. 29, the first day of visa-free entry for Chinese group travelers. [YONHAP]

At around 6 a.m. on Monday — the first day Chinese group tourists, or youke, were allowed to enter Korea without a visa — a 77,000-ton cruise ship docked at the Incheon International Cruise Terminal in Yeonsu District, Incheon.

Roughly an hour and 15 minutes later, Chinese tourists began disembarking in an orderly line through the terminal's arrivals hall, waving and smiling brightly. The Incheon Tourism Organization welcomed the visitors with a reception team that included performers in character costumes wearing Korean traditional attire. Many posed for commemorative photos.

The cruise ship, named Dream and based in Tianjin, China, has been operating short-haul routes in Northeast Asia — such as to Japan and Jeju Island — since August 2023. This particular cruise carried 2,189 passengers and 563 crew members. In response to the visa-free policy, a Chinese cruise operator developed a new tour package for group travelers.

However, immigration authorities processed the Dream’s passengers under the pre-existing cruise tour permit system rather than the newly introduced visa-free entry program.

“The cruise operator prepared its package in line with the new visa-free policy, but due to the short stay of cruise tourists, the existing system was used to facilitate smoother immigration procedures,” an official from the Incheon Port Authority explained.

The tourists’ first stop was the Sangsang Platform in Incheon’s Jung District, where a welcome event featured traditional performances such as samulnori (a traditional musical performance) and taekwondo demonstrations. The visitors also explored experience booths offering activities like trying on clothing from the Enlightenment Era and browsing local specialty products.

Incheon City provided 2,000 servings of sweet fried chicken, Incheon cider and beer. Tourists also visited nearby attractions such as Chinatown and Sinpo Market before boarding tour buses headed for Seoul, with stops at Gyeongbok Palace, Myeongdong and Namsan.

“I really appreciated the warm welcome event,” said 78-year-old Hui Jinzhu. “It makes me want to come back to Korea.”

A promotional banner for Chinese tourists, including information on Alipay mobile payment services, is displayed on a street in Myeongdong, central Seoul on Sept. 29. [YONHAP]

Retail, tourism industries optimistic.

With the launch of the visa-free entry program, optimism is rising in Korea’s retail and tourism sectors over the expected boost from big-spending youke. From Monday until June 30, 2026, Chinese group tourists of three or more people traveling with a designated domestic or international tour agency can stay in Korea for up to 15 days without a visa.

Industry insiders say the timing could prove especially beneficial, as the upcoming Chinese National Day holiday from Oct. 1 to 8 and a potential visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit next month may serve as catalysts for increased tourist traffic. The Korean government expects more than one million Chinese tourists to visit Korea in the first half of next year.

The retail sector is already moving to capture the opportunity. Shilla Duty Free, which welcomed around 400 passengers from the Dream, greeted visitors at its Seoul branch in Jung District with a banner reading “Welcome, VIP Guests” and offered them bouquets. Tourists browsed the first and second floors of the store, eagerly purchasing luxury items.

“This is my first visit to Korea with my family,” said 47-year-old Tong Qingfeng, who received a bouquet. “I want to return before the visa-free program ends next June.”

Participants wave “No China” signs in front of the Chinese Embassy in Jung District, central Seoul in March. [YONHAP]

Merchant concerns over anti-China protests

However, not everyone is entirely optimistic. Some — especially the merchants in Myeongdong, where demonstrations are frequently held — voiced concern over recent anti-China protests.

“There's hope for more business, of course,” said 71-year-old Lee Sung-hee, who sells fried lavers and red ginseng products. “But at the same time, if protests become more frequent, even the few Chinese visitors we do get might stop coming.”

A conservative civic group held a rally comprising about 270 people in Yeouido, western Seoul on Monday, demanding an investigation into the recent fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) and protesting the visa-free policy for Chinese tourists. Some participants wore clothing with anti-China slogans such as “Heaven will destroy the Chinese Communist Party.”

Unverified claims have also circulated regarding the visa-free entry program. A post on the National Assembly’s online petition site pointed out that Korea’s nationwide local elections are scheduled for June 3 next year, overlapping with the visa-free entry period. As of 4 p.m. Monday, over 60,000 people had endorsed the petition.

Tourists shop at a Lotte Duty Free store in Jung District, central Seoul on Sept. 7. [YONHAP]

Similar claims spread on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, alleging that the recent fire at the NIRS has made it impossible to verify the identity of incoming Chinese tourists.

Politicians have joined the debate. Conservative People Power Party Rep. Kim Min-soo claimed during a party meeting at the Incheon Tourism Organization headquarters in Wolmi-ro, Jung District that “allowing Chinese tourists to enter Korea without visas is a dangerous gamble with public safety,” warning about “possible infiltration by criminal organizations exploiting the system.”

In response, the Ministry of Justice clarified, “The immigration control system is managed independently by a ministry-affiliated agency and is functioning normally, regardless of the NIRS fire.”

Lee Hoon, head of the Tourism Research Institute at Hanyang University, emphasized the importance of responsible public discourse.

“The government must rigorously manage the stay and safety of tourists to avoid giving credence to groundless accusations,” Lee said. “At the same time, merchant associations and civil society should actively counter hate speech, especially when their livelihood depends on the return of Chinese tourists.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LEE YOUNG-KEUN, CHOI MO-RAN [[email protected]]