Bahk Eun-ji has been with The Korea Times since 2012, building a career across multiple desks. She began at the Business Desk, where she conducted in-depth interviews with key figures in Korea's corporate world. Later, she moved to the Politics & City Desk, focusing on education policy and social affairs. She later served as team leader of the digital content team, leading curation efforts on the newspaper’s homepage and reshaping print stories for social media audiences to enhance digital reach. Now back on the Politics Desk, she covers the National Assembly and the Ministry of National Defense, with a renewed focus on political developments.
FACT CHECK No evidence that visa-free Chinese tourists pose criminal or health risks
Foreign tourists arrive at Incheon International Airport, Monday, the first day of Korea’s visa-free entry program for Chinese group visitors. Yonhap
By Bahk Eun-ji
As Korea reopened visa-free entry for Chinese tour groups last weekend, conspiracy theories and alarmist claims began circulating online, warning that criminals and infectious diseases would enter the country. However, officials and experts stress these assertions are exaggerated or simply false.
The government is permitting groups of three or more Chinese nationals, organized by licensed travel agencies, to enter the country without visas and stay for up to 15 days until June 30 next year. The authorities expect the program to attract around 1 million additional visitors, on top of the 4.6 million Chinese tourists who visited last year. The measure coincides with China’s National Day and mid-Autumn holidays, when inbound demand traditionally surges.
Criminal screening in place
Rumors spread following a fire on Sept. 26 at the National Information Resources Service facility in Daejeon, which disrupted some online government platforms. Critics claimed that the outage prevented the authorities from screening high-risk travelers, allowing “criminals to flood into Korea.”
However, the Ministry of Justice rejected these allegations, clarifying that visa-free group entrants are managed through a separate system called HiKorea, which remained fully operational. Travel agencies must submit passenger information, including names, passport numbers and accommodation addresses, 24 to 36 hours before arrival. Each entry is vetted for prior immigration violations and Interpol red notices.
Officials stressed that unauthorized overstays are strictly penalized: If more than 2 percent of a travel agency’s clients fail to depart on time, its license to host visa-free groups is revoked.
Chinese group cruise tourists head to buses after arriving at Incheon Port International Cruise Terminal in Yeonsu District, Incheon, Monday, the first day of Korea’s visa-free entry program for Chinese group visitors. Yonhap
No China link to mosquito virus
An online petition addressed to the National Assembly argued that Chinese tourists traveling to the country without visas could import chikungunya fever, a mosquito-borne disease. Nearly 59,000 people signed the petition, which described the virus as untreatable and demanded the program’s cancellation.
But the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said this concern is unfounded. Between 2013 and July this year, 71 cases of imported chikungunya were identified in Korea, none of which originated from China. Most cases originated in Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand and Indonesia. The agency added that the disease can be prevented by taking standard precautions and that it “should not be a source of excessive fear.”
Malaysia’s case misrepresented
Social media posts have cited Malaysia as a cautionary tale, claiming that allowing Chinese visitors to enter the country without visas caused a wave of crime and economic disruption. One viral video even recycled an unrelated 2019 news article.
In fact, Malaysia first introduced visa-free entry for Chinese tourists in 2023, extended the scheme once, and in April of this year, agreed to permit stays of up to 90 days. Rather than abandoning the measure, officials have hailed it as an economic success. Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail noted that the trial run had produced an “immediate boost to the economy” and justified its continuation.
Although anti-China sentiment has fueled skepticism, government checks remain in place to screen out high-risk travelers, and epidemiological data contradict fears of an influx of diseases. Like Malaysia's, Korea's trial is designed to generate economic benefits while tightening safeguards against visa overstays.