According to the Ministry of Justice, Indonesian tourists traveling in groups of three or more, whether independently or through a travel agency, are allowed to stay in South Korea for up to 15 days without a visa.
The temporary measure in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs comes as Seoul seeks to boost tourism and domestic spending after Indonesian arrivals reached a record high of 365,596 visitors last year.
The number of visitors from Indonesia has rebounded since the coronavirus pandemic, rising from around 250,000 in 2023 to more than 330,000 in 2024, after a pre-pandemic high of 270,000 in 2019.
The measure is part of Seoul's broader push to boost tourism, aimed at attracting 30 million foreign visitors by 2030, by easing entry requirements for Southeast Asian travelers and expanding multiple-entry visas.
Instead, they have to undergo stricter screening procedures to minimize illegal overstays. Travel agencies are also required to upload tourist lists to a state-run immigration portal at least 24 hours before arrival, or 36 hours in advance for travelers entering by ship.
Immigration authorities will thoroughly review the lists to identify high-risk individuals including those previously involved in illegal stays or subject to entry restrictions. Such travelers are excluded from the visa-waiver program.
Travel agencies could have their licenses revoked if the rate of tourists who go AWOL exceeds an average of 2 percent per quarter.
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