Visa-free entry, short flights fuel surge in weekend trips to China among South Koreans

About 1.7 million South Koreans visited China in the first half of this year, up 16 per cent from the same period last year

Kim Ji-soo wrapped up a visit to the coastal city of Qingdao in northern China just last weekend, but she is already contemplating where she will go on her next visit.

“It seemed affordable, nearby and I wanted to visit a new city,” said the 57-year-old Seoul resident, who had been to Beijing before.

“I enjoyed the food and the vast space the most,” Kim said, adding that the city’s bustling energy – which she attributed in part to the number of newborns and young children with their parents – was another lure.

About 1.7 million South Koreans visited China in the first half of this year, up 16 per cent from the same period last year, according to figures from South Korea’s Ministry of Justice.

Short-haul trips accounted for 82 per cent of South Koreans’ outbound journeys between July 18 and August 8, with China ranking first among all overseas destinations at 27.4 per cent, according to data from Modetour, a South Korean travel agency.