Korea Tourism

North Korean athletes have ended their more than three-year isolation from global multisport competitions by travelling to China for the Asian Games. The country closed its borders in early 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and skipped the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. As a result, it was banned from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics for failing to participate in Tokyo. However, Pyongyang has now sent athletes to the Asian Games, which will be held in Hangzhou later this month. The North Korean athletes are listed on the Games' website as competing in various sports including athletics, gymnastics, basketball, football, boxing,...

The article highlights the bustling nature of a street in the Myeong-dong shopping district in downtown Seoul. The area is filled with a mix of locals and foreign visitors, with a significant number of them being Chinese tourists. The neighborhood heavily relied on Chinese tourists before the pandemic but faced a decline in visitors due to the ban on group tours imposed by Beijing for over six years. However, there is optimism in the air as Beijing recently lifted the ban on group tours to Korea. This decision has sparked hope among local businesses and the tourism industry, as they...

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo recently visited China, aiming to strengthen economic ties and address trade disputes between the two countries. She was welcomed by Lin Feng, Director General of China Ministry of Commerce, and U.S. Ambassador to China Nick Burns upon her arrival at the Beijing Capital International Airport on August 27. Raimondo's visit came at a crucial time when the U.S.-China relationship is tense due to various unresolved issues, including trade imbalances, intellectual property theft, and human rights concerns. Both countries have imposed tariffs and counter-tariffs on each other's goods over the past few years, hampering trade and...

According to data from Statistics Korea, online shopping in Korea increased by 9.1% year-on-year in July. The total value of online shopping transactions reached 18.9 trillion won ($14.31 billion), compared to 17.3 trillion won in the same period last year. This growth in online shopping can be attributed to the recovery of the travel industry, as travel and transportation services saw a significant increase of 31.4% year-on-year, reaching 2.1 trillion won. Online sales of food and beverages also saw a significant increase of 15.7%, reaching 2.49 trillion won. Additionally, sales of e-coupons, or online gift cards, increased by 28.1%, amounting...

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in South Korea has announced its approved budget for next year, totaling KRW 6.97 trillion. This represents a 3.5% increase from this year's budget and accounts for 8.7% of the government's overall 2024 budget. The content industry received the highest increase, with a policy financing scale of KRW 1.77 trillion, more than double the amount from last year. This includes the establishment of the K-Content Fund, investing in companies and projects for export and intellectual property rights. Additionally, the budget for supporting industries related to Hallyu (Korean Wave) will be expanded to KRW...

Beijing has given approval for North Korea's state carrier, Air Koryo, to resume flights to China after a suspension of over three years due to COVID-19 restrictions. This move comes as there are growing signs of increased contact and cooperation between North Korea and China, its largest trading partner. Train services between the two countries have also been increasing. Last month, a Chinese delegation visited Pyongyang to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, marking the first such visit since the pandemic began. The Chinese foreign ministry did not provide a specific timeline for when flights...

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Bo-gyoon recently addressed a meeting of officials from his ministry and the ruling People Power Party to discuss countermeasures against illegal distribution of Korean cultural content. The meeting, held at the National Assembly in Seoul, aimed to tackle the growing problem of piracy and protect the intellectual property rights of Korean content creators. Illegal distribution of Korean cultural content has become a significant concern for the government, as it not only undermines the growth of the domestic cultural industry but also deprives content creators of their rightful earnings. Minister Park highlighted the importance...

The content discusses the popularity of Korean actors in the entertainment industry and provides a list of 11 famous Korean actors. It mentions that Korean culture is known for producing beautiful dramas and movies, and the actors in these films are talented in various genres, not just love or family stories. The actors mentioned in the list are Lee Min Ho, Ahn Sung Ki, So Ji Sub, Hyun Bin, Lee Byung Hun, Kim Soo Hyun, Seo In-guk, Nam Joo Hyuk, Park Bo Gum, Lee Seung Gi, and Ji Sung. It provides a brief background on each actor, including their birthdate,...

Korea Airports Corp. (KAC) is considering adding around 4,500 flights between China and Korean provincial airports by the end of the year, in response to China's decision to lift a ban on group tours to Korea. The move comes as the number of Chinese travelers entering Korea via local airports has been slow to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first half of 2023, only 125,000 Chinese travelers entered the country, an increase of just 18.8% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. With the lifting of the travel ban, demand for travel to Korea is expected to surge, especially...