South Korea grants visa-free entry to Filipinos for Winter Olympics

The 2018 Olympics will be the South Korea’s first Winter Games after the 1988 Summer Olympics held in Seoul. (Shutterstock)

Aspiring Filipino tourists may enjoy South Korea’s cold weather now that the South Korean government has announced that it will temporarily grant a visa-free entry to Pyeongchang, South Korea until April 2018 for three Southeast Asian countries namely Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

The visa-free privileged countries will be allowed to fly only through the regional YangYang airport.

South Korea’s top economic policymaker said that the granted privilege is a part of a broader effort to boost South Korea’s tourism industry after the struggles its tourism sector had due to security and political issues.

The Chinese government has earlier halted the selling of tour packages to South Korea as “retaliation” against Seoul’s decision to install a U.S. led missile defense system or THAAD.

“Tourism is an important industry that creates more jobs than other sectors,” Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon said in a meeting in Seoul. “The Winter Olympics is about 100 days away and the improved relations with China will give fresh momentum to the local tourism industry,” he added.

The 2018 Winter Olympics will be the South Korea’s first Winter Games after the 1988 Summer Olympics held in Seoul.

Lee Hee-Beom, chief organizer of Pyeongyang 2018, said safety in the Winter Olympic Games is the primary concern of the organizing committee.

“Korea is ready to welcome the world. We will welcome all eligible athletes and National Olympic Committees (NOCs), including DPR Korea,” Lee said.