South Korea’s Gangwon suspends visa issuance for Vietnamese tourists

“The suspension was due to South Korean authorities rearranging the management and visa issuance for Vietnamese entering through Yang Yang airport after a visa-free trial,” the Vietnam agent for South Korean carrier Fly Gangwon said in a statement.

From June 1, South Korean authorities again allowed visa-free entry for Vietnamese tourists to Yangyang County under a policy suspended during the Covid-19 outbreak.

In Yangyang, a popular destination for surfers, visitors can stay for 15 days without a visa, but tourists need to book tours through travel agencies designated by Gangwon Province.

Fly Gangwon launched the first regular direct routes from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City to Gangwon’s Yangyang on Oct. 13-14.

South Korea had become a favorite tourist destination for Vietnamese before the pandemic.

The country received over 80,000 Vietnamese tourists in January-August, a far cry from 2019’s figure of 550,000.