Cruise Ship Passengers Can Visit Korea Visa-Free

Tourists get off the cruise ship Quantum of the Seas in Incheon on Aug. 27, 2015.

The Justice Ministry will test a visa-free program for foreigners who visit the country from selected cruise ships until March next year, a spokesman said Friday.

"Chinese make up the majority of the cruise ship tourists, and there are more individual tourists than tour groups", the spokesman added. "This program aims to revitalize the tourism industry". 

The waiver is for passengers on Costa Serena, Sapphire Princess and Quantum of the Seas, which run chiefly between China, Korea, and Japan.

It will cover up to 310,000 tourists, the ministry expects.

If 20 or more of any batch stay here illegally, the cruise line will be struck from the list.

Meanwhile, the ministry will stop stamping the passports of outbound travelers, starting Nov. 1 to relieve airport congestion. It estimates that this will cut the processing time by about three seconds.