South Korea has announced its largest visa reform package ever, aiming to make travel easier and attract millions more visitors in the coming years. The plan was revealed during the 11th National Tourism Strategy Meeting, chaired by President Lee Jae-myung at the Blue House.
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| South Korea Unveils Major Visa Reform Plan to Boost Tourism |
This is the first time since 2019 that a sitting president has personally chaired the national tourism strategy meeting—showing how strongly the government is prioritizing tourism as a key economic sector.
Key Visa Changes Proposed
🔹 10-Year Multiple Entry Visa
Residents of major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, and Beijing and Shanghai in China, may become eligible for a 10-year multiple-entry visa, upgraded from the current 5-year visa. This would make family visits and travel between these countries and Korea much easier.
🔹 Easier 5-Year Visa for Southeast Asia
Citizens from 11 Southeast Asian countries and China could obtain a 5-year multiple-entry visa without the previous rule requiring a visit to Korea before 2016.
Under the proposal, anyone who has visited Korea at least once—regardless of when—could qualify.
🔹 Visa-Free Group Travel for Indonesia
A pilot visa-free program is being considered for Indonesian tour groups of three or more travelers, aiming to boost tourism from Southeast Asia’s largest population market.
🛂 Faster Entry & Regional Tourism
- Automatic immigration gates may expand to all EU citizens to reduce airport waiting times.
- 24-hour cruise immigration pilot at Port of Busan to speed up cruise arrivals.
- More international routes planned for regional airports such as Gimhae, Cheongju, Daegu, and Jeju, encouraging tourists to explore beyond Seoul.
💰 Additional Tourism Initiatives
The government also outlined several programs to stimulate travel:
- “Half-Price Travel” program (starting April 2026) offering 50% refunds up to ₩100,000 for trips to regions with declining populations.
- ₩1.2 trillion tourism development fund (2026–2030) to improve regional infrastructure.
- Strict penalties for tourist price gouging.
- Launch of the global “Visit Korea Years 2027–2029” campaign.
- A new “Korea Circle Train Route” connecting rail stations with tourist attractions, hotels, and rental services.
📊 Tourism Targets
South Korea aims to reach:
- 30 million international visitors by 2029
- $45 billion in tourism revenue
For reference, the country welcomed 18.93 million foreign visitors in 2025, a record high.
⚠️ Note: These measures are policy proposals announced at the February 25, 2026 meeting and are not yet legally effective regulations. The exact implementation timeline and detailed conditions will be issued by the Ministry of Justice (법무부). Travelers should follow updates from the Ministry of Justice (South Korea) and the Hi Korea for official announcements.