China and Korea took their diplomatic relations a step closer when the Korean government said it was seriously studying the phased implementation of a visa-free policy for Chinese nationals. The announcement was made during the Beijing visit of South Korean president Park Geun-hye to attend China’s Victory Day celebrations.
Chinese Communist Party Chairman Xi Jinping and Korean President Park Geun-hye
A spokesperson from the Korean Foreign Ministry said the government is conducting a study from August to the end of September on the ripple effects of expanding the visa-free policy in phases to ordinary passports. The study will analyze the demand for the visa-free policy and the effect of the implementation on Korea in terms of economic, political and social impacts.
While the intention of expanding the visa-free policy was announced as early as July 2014 in a summit between South Korean president Ms. Park and Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping, opinions on the visa issue remained divided domestically in Korea as there are concerns with social issues potentially arising from over-staying visitors despite the economic benefits, and the increased security risks of North Korean agents entering Korea via China.(Translation by David)
