APEC security mandates foreign visitor registration near Gyeongju

APEC welcome displays are set up at Gimhae International Airport in Gangseo District, Busan, Wednesday. Yonhap

Short-term foreign visitors staying between Friday and next Saturday in areas near Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the site of next week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, must report to the government under heightened security measures.

The Ministry of Justice said Tuesday that B-1, B-2, C-1, C-3 and C-4 visa holders staying at local accommodations in Busan, Daegu, Ulsan and the Gyeongsang provinces must present their passports or travel certificates to lodging providers.

The providers must then report the guest’s nationality, date of birth, passport number and other information through the Korea Immigration Service website or its mobile app within 12 hours of check-in.

Those who fail to comply — both foreign guests and lodging operators — may face fines of up to 500,000 won ($347).

The measure is being implemented under the Anti-Terrorism Act, which requires these extra steps when the national alert level is raised to “caution” or higher. The status will be elevated from its current level to “caution” starting Friday, ahead of next week’s slate of activities.

A series of APEC events will begin next Monday with the Concluding Senior Officials’ Meeting, followed by the APEC Ministerial Meeting and the CEO Summit. The Economic Leaders’ Meeting from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1 will bring together the leaders of the 21 member economies, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“Some inconvenience for foreign visitors and the hospitality industry is expected during this period,” Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho said. “However, this measure is essential to ensuring the safety of both world leaders and the public during the APEC summit, and we ask for your full cooperation.”