~ Le Viêt Nam, aujourd'hui. ~
The Vietnam News

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Vietnam gives visa exemption to South Koreans

Vietnam will lift visa requirements for South Korean citizens from Thursday to boost tourism, investment and business with the East Asian economic power, a Foreign Ministry official said. South Koreans visiting Vietnam for up to 15 days will no longer need a visa, making it the second country outside Southeast Asia to be exempt, said Le Trung Hoa, administrative head of the Consular Affairs Department. Vietnam does not have reciprocal exemptions from South Korea. Under the new regulations, Japanese citizens can also enter Vietnam without a visa for all traveling purposes. Earlier this year, Vietnam had waived visa requirements for Japanese visiting for business and tourist purposes only.

Vietnam has reciprocal visa-free agreements with Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore. Laos will also be included from Thursday. South Korea was ranked fifth behind China, the United States, Japan and Taiwan in visitor numbers to Vietnam last year. According to the Government Statistics Office, Vietnam attracted 129,580 South Korean visitors in 2003, an increase of 23 percent from 2002.

Vietnam reported 2.4 million foreign visitors last year, a decrease of 7 percent from 2002 due to an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, which killed five people and sickened nearly 60 others in Vietnam.

The Associated Press - June 30, 2004.