From Saturday April 1, 2023, the French will be able to fly to South Korea without carrying out any administrative procedure.
The electronic travel authorization (K-ETA), which must currently be requested before departure on the k-eta.go.kr site, will no longer be required from nationals of 22 countries, including France, Belgium and Canada, says the Visanews site.
This exemption applies until December 31, 2024.
The K-ETA, Korean equivalent of the American Esta, is normally requested from nationals of 112 countries for stays of less than 90 days.
It costs 10,000 won, or €7, and is valid for two years.
The 22 countries that will soon be exempted were chosen because of the "
rather low
" rate of refusal of entry.
Travelers who already hold a K-ETA will still be able to continue using it until its expiry date but will not be able to obtain a refund.
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10 million visitors in 2023
This temporary measure is part of the "Visit Korea Year 2023-2024" program aimed at boosting tourist numbers after the Covid-19 pandemic.
South Korea, a destination driven by K-pop and the “Netflix-Drama” effect, is aiming for 10 million foreign visitors in 2023, i.e. three times more than in 2022 (3.19 million).
On site, no more restrictions related to Covid-19 are in force.
The obligation to wear a mask indoors was lifted on January 30, 2023 (except in public transport) and screening tests before departure are no longer required since October 2022.