South Korea’s tourism, soft power gains, at risk from extended political crisis

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By Hyunjoo Jin, Lisa Barrington and Heekyong Yang

SEOUL (Reuters) -From plastic surgery clinics to tour firms and hotel chains, South Korea’s hospitality sector is wary of the potential impact of a protracted political crisis, as some overseas travellers cancel trips following last week’s brief bout of martial law.

South Korea’s travel and tourism industry, which generated 84.7 trillion won ($59.1 billion) in 2023, around 3.8% of GDP, has held up through previous bumps in the road, including a 2016 presidential impeachment and periodic tensions with North Korea.

But more than a dozen hospitality and administrative sources said the army’s involvement in the latest political crisis was a serious…