South Korea could tighten visa rules after 38 Vietnamese disappeared: travel industry

Minh Nghi of Ho Chi Minh City is planning to apply for a Korean visa for her family of four to travel during the Lunar New Year (Tet).

All the members of her family have blank passports since no one has ever traveled abroad.

Now, in the wake of the missing tourists incident, she is worried they might be unable to secure Korean visas, and they have not yet bought flight tickets.

The Jeju Tourism Authority confirmed on Tuesday that 38 out of the 90 Vietnamese tourists who arrived on a charter flight from Nha Trang on Nov. 14 disappeared during the final leg of their itinerary, just before their scheduled departure on Nov. 17, according to the Korea Times.

They had arrived under a visa-free program that allows citizens from 64 countries, including Vietnam, to stay on the island for up to 30 days without a visa.

Authorities are reviewing security camera footage to locate the missing group.

Vietnamese travel agencies are concerned that South Korea may tighten visa approval procedures following this incident.

Nguyen Cong Hoan, general director of Hanoi-based Flamingo Redtours, said some people went on tour packages but then stayed back in South Korea to work illegally, which puts pressure on travel agencies to thoroughly check travelers' personal information, sometimes making the latter feel uncomfortable.

Pham Anh Vu, deputy general director of Viet Media Tourism, said the reputation of Vietnamese travel companies is at risk with Korean partners questioning their ability to manage customers effectively.

Though no official announcement has been made, it is possible South Korea may reimpose visa requirements for Vietnamese tourists to Jeju, Vu said.

"South Korea is a top tourist destination for Vietnamese, but visa procedures are becoming increasingly difficult, almost as complicated as applying for a Japanese visa," a major travel agency in HCMC said.

Following the incident, travel agencies are adopting stricter measures to prevent a recurrence.

Luu Thi Thu, deputy director of Hoang Viet Travel, said her company is strengthening the capacity of its visa application review department to safeguard the rights of legitimate tourists.

Vu emphasized the need for a clear mechanism and legal framework for travel agencies to collaborate with authorities for updating information and verifying customers' travel history.

In 2024 South Korea expects to receive 550,000 Vietnamese visitors, equivalent to pre-Covid numbers.