By South China Morning Post | Created at 2026-08-08 00:11:57 | Updated at 2026-08-08 00:35:05
34 minutes ago
About 1.7 million South Koreans visited China in the first half of this year, up 16 per cent from the same period last year
Published: 8:00am, 8 Aug 2026
Kim Ji-soo wrapped up a visit to the coastal city of Qingdao in northern China just last weekend, but she is already contemplating where she will go on her next visit.
“It seemed affordable, nearby and I wanted to visit a new city,” said the 57-year-old Seoul resident, who had been to Beijing before.
“I enjoyed the food and the vast space the most,” Kim said, adding that the city’s bustling energy – which she attributed in part to the number of newborns and young children with their parents – was another lure.
About 1.7 million South Koreans visited China in the first half of this year, up 16 per cent from the same period last year, according to figures from South Korea’s Ministry of Justice.
Much of the increase can be attributed to weekend trips like Kim’s, which only required a two-hour flight and carried no visa requirements for entry. Beijing began permitting visa-free visits of up to 30 days by South Korean tourists in November 2024.
Short-haul trips accounted for 82 per cent of South Koreans’ outbound journeys between July 18 and August 8, with China ranking first among all overseas destinations at 27.4 per cent, according to data from Modetour, a South Korean travel agency.
