The Ministry of Justice announced Wednesday that organized tour groups from these countries will continue to be exempt from the 23,000 won (US$15) visa application fee until Dec. 31, 2026, Global Times reported.
The measure ended in late June, but the ministry extended it to sustain the recovery in group tourism, citing rising demand from China and Southeast Asia.
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Tourists at Myeongdong shopping street in South Korea, April 2026. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Phong |
More than 790,000 travelers entered South Korea on group tourist visas in 2025, up 39% from the previous year, according to official data, The Korea Times reported.
Chinese group arrivals surged 48%, while the number of Vietnamese visitors increased 5%.
India posted the fastest growth, with arrivals more than doubling from 573 in 2024 to 1,120 in 2025.
The number of foreign visitors to Korea has surpassed 10 million in the first half of this year.
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