In 2023, the authorities announced the pilot visa project K-Culture. The Ministry of Finance plans to launch it at the end of this year. The initiative is of interest to young people who are enthusiastic about the entertainment industry, particularly tourists from Southeast Asia, who make up 20% of the total number of visitors to the country.
The founders of the genre managed to adapt to youth trends and create a unique subculture. Fans from different countries are interested in cinematography, choreography, and music. They want to participate in creating content for tourists, studying Korean culture and language, and visiting music video filming locations.
The prerequisites for launching another project were the authorities' interest in digital technologies and innovations, and the overall development of tourism. To attract digital nomads, a Workcation visa was introduced in January. The desire to revive interest in the country forces the government to engage in long-term planning, create infrastructure, and simplify the process of obtaining electronic visas.
The Impact of Tourism on the Economy and Prestige of the Country
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has planned to designate 2023-2025 as the "Years of Visiting Korea." The Korea Times reports that the authorities have approved the 6th master plan for the development of the tourism industry until 2027. The Prime Minister stated that the measures taken will increase the country's competitiveness in the market and attract millions of travelers. According to Airbnb surveys, Seoul is not yet among the top five tourist destinations.
Before the pandemic, the country was visited by 17.5 million foreigners, with the peak occurring in 2019. After the introduction of coronavirus restrictions, the number barely reached 970,000. The first signs of recovery in tourist flow were noted at the end of 2023. During the reporting period, 10 million people visited South Korea. Russians accounted for 160,000 of these visitors, an increase of 165% compared to the previous period. In June, the Prime Minister noted that this year the country expects 20 million guests, and in the near future, 30 million.
K-Culture Training Visa
The stated ambitious goals motivated the authorities to amend the immigration law and create a new type of entry permit for culture fans. "The revision of the law will help successfully address issues related to tourism trends," announced the Ministry of Finance and Economy.
As of the beginning of July this year, the details of the project are not yet known, but the goal is clear. The goal is to spread Korean creativity in the world culture and promote tourism. So far, it is clear that applications will be approved on condition that applicants pass training courses in the K-industry as a K-pop agency. There is supposedly no need to enter into a contract with talent search companies. The authorities promise to publish details on the website in the autumn.
To attract public interest, a list of key events was compiled in 2023. Fans of Korean culture are invited to visit:
- film festivals;
- music and fan events;
- Incheon K-pop concert featuring stars;
- K-Tourism Roadshow exhibitions;
- beauty festivals;
- pilgrimages to locations related to the boy band BTS.
This group established the K-pop genre with elements of electronic and hip-hop music, creating a subculture that attracts creative youth to South Korea.
What Has Changed for K-ETA
To enter South Korea, an electronic short-term visa is required, which has caused many complaints from foreigners due to bureaucratic obstacles. The government has reviewed the requirements and adopted amendments in a single package for group travelers. Now, foreigners can obtain information not only in English but also in Chinese and Japanese.
Starting from July 3, K-ETA can be obtained on the official website. Processing time is 72 hours. Updates include:
- To encourage family trips, people under 17 and over 65 no longer need to submit an application.
- The validity period has been increased by one year. Applicants are now authorised for 3 years instead of 2.
- Previously issued K-ETAs are not automatically extended.
In this matter, the authorities rely on last year's successful experience. The cancellation of the duty increased the number of organised tourist groups from China. This list will so far include citizens of Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Organizational Changes
To make travel more convenient, the government has been working on expanding and enhancing local infrastructure. In the ports, they’ve added more unmanned control terminals and upgraded existing ones to quickly check documents for cruise ship guests. Foreigners can now log their travel dates and history for online border authorization. There are also plans to open new international routes and increase the number of flights.
Tourists have found the “hands-free tour” program, available on high-speed KTX trains, to be very convenient. Soon, luggage delivery to hotels will be offered from 16 stations instead of 9. Over the past two years, 3 trillion won has been invested in the southern part of the country to build infrastructure and boost marine and recreational tourism in Busan, Gwangju, Gyeongnam, and other areas.
Technological innovations
In addition to new types of visas, the country is expanding foreign mobile payment systems for purchasing goods and services. Since January, the limit for instant tax refunds on purchases at duty-free shops has been doubled. The share of stores aimed at stimulating shopping tourism is planned to be increased to 40%. A mobile application for foreigners is nearing completion, based on the English version of the navigation service. It will simplify booking train and bus tickets, as well as ordering taxis.
The changes have also affected employment. The Korean government has decided to simplify the job search for foreign citizens in hotels and travel companies who arrived in the country on different grounds. Now instead of 2 people they can employ 5 on E-7 visa. Moreover, students with a D 2 permit are allowed to work 30 hours instead of 15.
Digital Nomad Visa in South Korea
For the development of innovation, the country needs human capital. Comparing the experiences of other countries and economic interest prompted the South Korean authorities to introduce the Digital Nomad Visa or Workcation. With this program, Seoul aims to attract thousands of affluent and skilled foreign professionals.
Initially, it was anticipated that the program would generate $24.5 billion in revenue. After a short testing period, the authorities concluded that it was necessary to ease visa requirements to expand the flow of skilled foreigners and attract them to provincial regions of South Korea. All conditions for living have been created for digital nomads here. High-speed internet, WeWork coworking spaces, Maru 180, Hive Arena in various locations contribute to creating a productive working environment.
Conditions for issuing
Workcation visas are issued for a period of 1 year with the possibility of extension for an additional period. Applicants can be full-time employees, entrepreneurs, or freelancers aged 18 and over. The field of employment does not matter. The key requirement is a stable income of at least $5,500 per month or $66,000 per year outside the country. This amount is twice the per capita gross profit. Foreigners arriving in the country under other visa categories with sufficient financial means can apply for a Digital Nomad visa. Given the ambitious plans, South Korea has every chance to claim the status of a progressive country and become a cultural global center for youth.