South Korea's 15-day visa-free entry policy for Chinese tour groups will enhance the tourism and service sectors in both countries, said Yohan Park, managing vice president of Korean Air's China Regional Headquarters.
The visa exemption policy, aimed at boosting local tourism, will be in effect for nine months, from Sept 29, 2025 to June 30, 2026.
The South Korean prime minister's office expects the visa-free policy to bolster economic demand in the country and aid the recovery of the local tourism market.
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Park noted that the visa-free policy will deliver long-term advantages for the tourism and service industries.
"To the Chinese people, I would like to say: we hope you experience the warm hospitality and K-culture in South Korea. And to the South Korean people, I would like to say: China is close and surprisingly new. We hope you experience it by yourself," said Park.
"I believe that visa exemption for group tourists is a policy that accelerates Chinese group travel to South Korea. In the short term, this will increase the number of travelers, and in the medium to long term, I see it leading to enhanced competitiveness of tourism infrastructure," he said.
The policy will also benefit the aviation sector, as Chinese tourists occupy a big portion of South Korean tourism industry, said Park.
"The Chinese market is the largest and steadily growing market. If more customers start traveling, it will lead to an increase in premium demand and repeat demand in the long term, and will have a positive effect on the overall tourism and service industries centered on aviation," he said.
China has unilaterally granted visa-free entry to South Korean citizens since November last year, and data showed that people-to-people exchanges between China and South Korea have since grown rapidly.
South Korea's visa-free entry to Chinese group tourists to enhance tourism, service: Korean Air executive
South Korea's visa-free entry to Chinese group tourists to enhance tourism, service: Korean Air executive
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
