South Korea opens visa-free entry to Indonesian tour groups

South Korea will allow Indonesian tour groups of three or more people to enter without visas for up to 15 days starting Friday, as the government pushes to boost inbound tourism and domestic spending.

The temporary program, in effect through Dec. 31, signals a broader Korean government pivot toward loosening entry barriers for foreign visitors — a shift closely watched by Korean-American travel agencies in Southern California that arrange group tours to the peninsula.

The program runs May 30 through Dec. 31, 2026, and covers Indonesian nationals traveling in groups of at least three people, according to The Korea Times. Qualifying visitors may stay for a maximum of 15 days without obtaining a visa beforehand.

Korean travel agencies are required to register their tourist lists on a government website no later than 24 hours before entry. The Korea Immigration Service and the Justice Ministry will screen the submitted lists and exclude individuals who have entry restrictions or histories of illegal stays in Korea.

Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho vowed to "work closely with relevant ministries to ensure that the program helps stimulate domestic consumption while maintaining order regarding the stay of foreign tourists," The Korea Times reported.

The decision traces to a tourism strategy meeting convened in February 2026 under President Lee Jae Myung, in which officials identified visa requirements as a key barrier to growing foreign visitor arrivals. Indonesia is among the largest source markets for Southeast Asian tourists traveling to Korea.

The pre-screening mechanism — requiring agency registration and government vetting before entry — reflects Seoul's effort to balance tourism promotion with immigration oversight, a tension familiar to policymakers in destination countries worldwide.

The visa waiver is set to expire Dec. 31 unless extended. Seoul has not announced plans to broaden the program to other nationalities, The Korea Times reported.