South Korea hopes that new rules allowing visa-free travel with Russia will come into force on Jan. 1, a South Korean diplomat said Tuesday.
The proposed visa-free plan will allow Russians and South Koreans to visit each other's countries for a maximum of 30 days without visas.
"The Korean side has completed all the official procedures and has sent all necessary documents for review to the Russian government," said Lee Yang Goo, general consul for the South Korean Embassy in Vladivostok, according to Interfax.
He said that once the documents are reviewed and approved by the Russian side, travel between the two countries will increase, giving a significant boost to the tourist industries of both countries.
Currently there are 14 weekly flights between Vladivostok and Seoul and seven additional flights are planned due to rising demand, Interfax said.
Lee said visa-free travel between the two nations was proving possible because two conditions were being met: trust between the two sides and the need for travel.
In September, Konstantin Romodanovsky, the head of the Federal Migration Service, expressed similar enthusiasm toward the visa initiative.
"People, money and goods should be able to move freely without restrictions," he said, according to Voice of Russia radio. "The more freedom there is, the more people and goods will arrive to Russia and to the Republic of Korea."
The Kremlin is eager to ease visa restrictions for Russians and has been pushing for visa-free travel with the European Union for several years. Last month, Russia and the U.S. relaxed visa rules for tourists, businesspeople and several other categories of travelers, making three-year multientry visas the norm.
Related articles:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
