With South Korean won’s value plummeting against those of neighboring countries, the nation expects a rush of 400,000 Chinese and Japanese tourists next month, a major holiday traffic time, Maeil Business News reported Saturday.

“As Korean won’s value decreased by 40 percent, South Korea has become a new popular destination for Chinese people,'' a Chinese tourism official was quoted as saying.

The most popular tour package by Chinese envisions a three-night-two-day schedule whose itineraries include major shopping areas in Seoul, including the well-known Myeongdong district.

Last year, Chinese visitors to South Korea totaled 1.07 million. In the first 11 months of this year, 1.08 million Chinese visited South Korea.

The number of Japanese tourists, who traditionally favor South Korea as one of their major travel destinations, reached 2.12 million in the first 11 months this year and is expected to grow further next year.

Chinese and Japanese travelers are different in their purpose for coming to South Korea. While Chinese tourists mainly come to Korea to buy low-priced yet high-quality cosmetics, Japanese tourists come to Korea to buy natural and healthful food products such as seaweed, according to an official with the Korean Tourism Center.

Tourists from other countries, notably from South Asia, are also opting for South Korea as the destination for their New Year Holidays.

This year, South Korea expects record $8.6 billion revenue from foreign tourism.