South Korea to increase flights to China

Han Duck-soo, South Korea’s prime minister, said there will be 80 flights a week by the end of this month.

South Korea.- South Korean prime minister Han Duck-soo has today (February 17) announced an increase in the number of flights to China. He said there will be 80 flights per week by the end of February, rising to 100 in March. There are currently 62.

Han made the announcement during a meeting about South Korea’s Covid-19 policies. Short-term visas for Chinese travellers have been reinstated as Covid-19 infections in China have decreased, and China has announced that it will resume issuing short-term visas for South Korean nationals on February 18. 

South Korean authorities will decide next week whether to lift the requirement for travellers from China to undergo pre-departure and post-arrival Covid-19 tests. According to a monthly economic report from South Korea’s finance ministry, 30,648 Chinese tourists visited the country in January, more than three times the number in the same month last year.

The resumption of short-term visas for Chinese visitors is expected to have a positive impact on South Korea’s foreigner-only casinos. In 2021, South Korean casino revenue was KRW1.18tn (US$975.39m), compared to KRW1.04tn in 2020. However, the growth was largely attributable to Kangwon Land, South Korea’s only casino open to locals. The number of arrivals in South Korea in 2021 was 48,278, compared to 212,767 in 2020.

See also: South Korea to resume short-term visas for Chinese visitors