South Korea to waive visa fees for tourists from these countries

SEOUL – The South Korean government has revealed its plan to attract 20 million international tourists and generate $24.5 billion in tourism revenue in the upcoming year for which visa conditions would be relaxed.

As part of the reforms being planned, South Korean authorities will expand electronic visa fee waivers for tour groups and introduce a K-culture training visa and a digital nomad visa (work action) in 2024. The K-culture training visa is curated for young foreigners interested in Korean content and willing to learn about the country’s entertainment industry while the digital nomad visa permits residence in Korea for one to two years, allowing the visa holder to uphold employment in their home country.

The expansion of electronic visa fee waivers for tourist groups from Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines, along with the extension of the application period until next year is also under consideration.

The reforms follow an inter-ministerial meeting chaired by Prime Minister Han Deok-su in the southern city of Gwangju on Friday.

“Korea once received over 17 million foreign travelers before the pandemic but saw a sharp decline in foreign travelers to 970,000,” Prime Minister Han Duck-Soo stated.

He continued that the government was fully committed to exerting every effort to help the industry to achieve a record-breaking level of success.

“(The government) will significantly enhance convenience by expanding the exemption from group electronic visa fees and increasing the limit for immediate tax refunds after duty-free shopping,“ Han said.

South Korea, located on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia, and a nation that seamlessly blends tradition and modernity. With a population of around 51 million, South Korea has emerged as a dynamic force in the global economy and technology sector.