South Korea: K-ETA for Jeju Island too

Tourists wishing to visit Jeju, Korea's northernmost territory, must apply for a K-ETA permit from September 1.

In August, the South Korean authorities noticed that a large number of foreigners, particularly Thai nationals, were using the entry facilities at Jeju, an island in the south of the Korean peninsula, to stay illegally in the country. The Directorate General of Immigration and Foreign Policy from Ministry of Justice announced that it wanted to introduce the K-ETA electronic travel authorization system for arrivals at Jeju airport, an island where foreign tourists have traditionally been visa-free. However, in order to curb illegal immigration and regulate international arrivals in the region, they called for an electronic travel authorization system.

When it was launched in September 2021, the K-ETA electronic authorization for travel to South Korea, which was dedicated to short-stay visa-exempt travelers, did not include visitors going directly and solely to Jeju Island. The visa will now be waived, but a K-ETA authorization will be required for the same process as for an electronic visa (e-Visa).

The South Korean Ministry of Justice announced today on its website that the electronic travel authorization system (K-ETA) will be available in Jeju on September 1 for people not applying for a Korean visa.

Jeju Island has been used as a detour for foreigners who were unable to use the K-ETA electronic travel authorization, since visa exemption was reinstated, the Ministry says this decision could no longer be delayed even though local tourism professionals feared for the island's frequentation.

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• South Korea

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