South Korea will offer visa-free entry to tourist groups from China, for a temporary period from September 29 through June 2026, to boost foreign tourism ahead of an Asia-Pacific summit, the government said on Wednesday.

(Yicai) Aug. 7 -- South Korea will temporarily lift visa requirements for Chinese tour groups, starting just before China’s week-long National Day break in October, as the East Asian country seeks to attract more visitors from China, which is its biggest source of tourists.

South Korea on Wednesday announced visa-free entry for Chinese tourists from next month amid moves to stabilize bilateral ties. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's office at a meeting of the task force for tourism promotion policies at the government complex in the capital Seoul, according to Korea JoongAng Daily.

South Korea will introduce a temporary visa waiver program for Chinese group tourists starting late September, as part of efforts to boost domestic spending and the tourism market, government officials said Wednesday.