South Korea has officially announced a visa-free pilot program for Indonesian tourists, allowing groups of three or more people to enter the country without a visa and stay for up to 15 days.
The policy was unveiled at the 11th National Tourism Strategy Meeting, chaired by President Lee Jae-myung and attended by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, representatives from 15 government agencies, and key figures from the tourism industry.
Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young described the current moment as a "golden time" for Korean tourism, as the government launched an ambitious initiative titled "K-Tourism Embraces the World," with a national target of attracting 30 million international visitors.
Tourism data supports the move, with approximately 336,165 Indonesian tourists having visited South Korea in 2024, surpassing pre-pandemic levels from 2019 and reflecting the surging interest in Korean culture among Indonesians.
Beyond the visa-free scheme, South Korea is also waiving visa fees for group tourists from Indonesia, China, the Philippines, India, and Cambodia, with the policy set to remain in effect until December 2026.
