SEOUL – South Korea is set to introduce a new visa program for aspiring K-pop stars to attract more foreign tourists, the Finance Ministry announced on Monday.
The ministry outlined various measures to boost tourism, including simplifying entry processes and offering incentives for public transportation use. These steps are in response to the slow recovery of tourism revenue post-pandemic, despite a surge in foreign visitors.
A key initiative is the “K-culture training visa,” which will be trialed this year. This visa will be available to foreign nationals training at K-pop entertainment agencies in dancing, choreography, and modeling. Details will be finalized in the second half of the year.
Additionally, a “region-specific digital nomad visa” will be introduced for remote workers, connecting them with local governments in South Korea.
To expedite visa issuance, the government will increase staff and visa application centers. Group travelers will be able to apply for Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) collectively. More automatic passport recognition technology will be implemented to enhance efficiency.
The government also plans to increase direct flights between regional airports in Korea and international cities. New routes will include flights between Busan and Jakarta, Indonesia, and Cheongju and Bali, Indonesia, with more frequent flights between Daegu and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Further flight arrangements with countries like the Philippines will be discussed in July.
For tourists using public transportation, a luggage delivery service from KTX train stations to hotels will expand to 16 locations, including new services at Daejeon, East Daegu, and Gwangju Songjeong stations. A public transportation pass for foreign tourists, compatible with overseas credit cards, will be introduced in major cities, allowing economical travel with one-day or two-day passes.
To address labor shortages in tourist areas, the government is considering expanding the scope of E-9 nonprofessional employment visas for workers in Korean restaurants. More multilingual tourist guides will be trained to cater to the growing number of visitors from Southeast Asia.
In December 2022, the Korean government aimed to revive the pandemic-hit tourism industry, targeting 30 million foreign visitors and $30 billion in revenue by 2027. Foreign visitor numbers have risen sharply from about 97,000 in 2021 to 11.03 million in 2023, with 4.87 million visiting between January and April this year. However, tourism revenue increased only modestly from $10.6 billion in 2021 to $15.1 billion last year.
With $4.9 billion in tourism revenue recorded from January to April this year, the annual total is expected to match last year’s. Tourists are spending less, focusing more on cultural experiences rather than shopping, the government noted.
“We will resolve inconveniences in the entry and transportation processes for foreigners, increasing their satisfaction,” said Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok at the meeting.