After the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more people became interested in traveling around the world. As many countries saw this trend as an opportunity, they began preparing policies to welcome new tourists. For example, Japan began offering tailored promotions for tourists visiting smaller cities, and Taiwan started a travel subsidy program in the form of a lucky draw.

In China, which was famous for its strict visa regulations, visa exemptions are now granted to passport holders from 38 countries, including South Koreans. Citizens of these countries are allowed to visit China for up to 30 days for business, tourism, and exchange purposes from November 30, 2024 to December 31, 2025 without requiring any visas.

Meanwhile, the government of Thailand has decided to ease entry restrictions in order to revive the economy through tourism. Thailand is expanding the list of countries that allow visa-free entry, as well as extending the length of stay for international students. The government is also easing regulations on compulsory travel insurance.

These visa exemptions from China and Thailand, as well as the promotions in Japan and Taiwan, have helped attract a large number of tourists from various countries, creating an unprecedented boom in tourism. Similar bold moves easing visas are also seen in Vietnam, which aims to attract 23 million foreign tourists by 2025.

Even though many countries continue to expand their tourist sectors, Korea seems to be stepping back by adopting a stricter attitude to the tourists. What could be the reason foreign passport holders are kept away from visiting Korea? Among many factors, the effectiveness of the K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) is being questioned.

ETA is a program that allows eligible individuals to enter South Korea without a visa, according to the Ministry of Justice. In order to receive the ETA, tourists must first apply on the official website or mobile app at least 72 hours before boarding an airplane or ship, and the fee is ₩10,000. One reason the program was introduced is that the expansion of visa-free entry has weakened the defense against potential threats such as terrorism and infectious diseases. Another reason is that the illegal stay due to the expansion of visa-free entry has increased. Previous K-ETA holders would be exempted from filling out an entry card and would be able to use a dedicated desk for faster immigration. In addition, it was expected that the pre-screening of visa-free entrants would reduce threats to security, safety, and public health.

However, experts explained that after the implementation of the K-ETA, some individuals have been denied in entry and this has discouraged tourists from coming to Korea. Seeing these examples, K-ETA is considered more of a limitation than a benefit. There is concern that ETA could function as a ‘second visa,’ which increases the burden of time and money, much like the entry visa. If people do not receive the visa within the specified period, they can’t enter the country. Even if people receive an ETA, there is a possibility of entry being denied. According to the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy, from April 2023 to May 2024, a period after the implementation of K-ETA, the number of tourists from Thailand and Malaysia has decreased, resulting in a decrease of approximately ₩240 billion in tourism revenue.

South Korea may also implement policies similar to those of the US and EU, where an ETA is required even for tourists transferring flights to another country. This may discourage more people from visiting South Korea if this plan is approved.

Tourists from countries not eligible for K-ETA also complain that visa services for South Korea are complicated and understaffed. For example, in the Philippines, people say that too many documents are required including bank statements, and property deeds. This and the lack of facilities where they can obtain a visa discourages them from visiting South Korea.

The Korea Tourism Organization aims to attract 30 million foreign tourists by 2027 designating the year as the “Year of Visiting Korea.” However, given existing problems, this goal may be overly ambitious.

 

Reporter

Hyeonseon Namgung

namgung0121@seoultech.ac.kr

Reporter 남궁현선

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