Overview

• At the 10th National Tourism Strategy Meeting, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok announced a three-point plan spanning inbound growth, domestic travel incentives and policy reform.
• The government will select about two regions outside the capital within a year to build new tourism hubs that can rival Seoul.
• Visa-exempt travelers will remain exempt from the K-ETA authorization through the end of 2026, with the current waiver covering roughly 22 countries.
• Service upgrades are slated to include development of an integrated travel pass starting next year and a single Korea Tourism Organization platform consolidating 13 channels.
• Reforms in progress include splitting the Tourism Promotion Act into industry and regional development laws, updating the 1975 framework statute, and planning a K-pop arena of over 50,000 seats with groundbreaking targeted by the first half of 2030.