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| Visitors arrive at Jeju International Airport on Aug. 12. Newsis |
By Lee Hae-rin
Travelers from 64 visa-free countries, including China and Mongolia, arriving on the southern resort island of Jeju will be exempt from going through an e-travel authorization system called K-ETA starting next month, according to the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province.
On Friday, the Ministry of Justice said foreigners arriving from 112 countries that have an agreement with Korea either for a visa waiver (B-1) or visa-free entry for a short visit (B-2-1) will need to register their travel information and get pre-authorization through K-ETA before arriving at Jeju International Airport, starting next month.
However, the ministry decided to make the exception in response to concerns among the provincial government and the island's tourism industry that the government's move to curb illegal immigration could discourage tourists from visiting Jeju.
As a result, tourists from 64 countries including China, Mongolia, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines, who could stay on Jeju Island for up to 30 days prior to the changed regulation (B-2-2), can enter the island without processing their travel information on K-ETA.
K-ETA allows foreigners arriving in Korea to register their travel and health information, visit history and criminal record in advance for authorization.
Jeju, the country's top travel destination for international tourists, has been an exception.
However, those from the 64 visa-free countries who have a record of illegal immigration or undocumented overstay may need to go through K-ETA.
Jeju provincial government formed a joint council with the justice ministry, Jeju Tourism Association, Jeju Tourism Organization, and Jeju Tourism Society and held the first meeting on Friday to discuss cooperation to boost tourism and curb illegal immigration.
The joint council plans to monitor the island's visa regulation and K-ETA implementation, as well as work on developing its tourism industry.
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