Seoul: A temporary visa waiver program for Chinese group tourists visiting South Korea will commence later this month, officials announced on Sunday. This initiative is part of a broader effort to invigorate South Korea's tourism sector.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the visa-free program allows groups of Chinese tourists, comprising more than three individuals, to travel to South Korea without visas for up to 15 days, starting from September 29 and continuing through June of the following year. This decision follows an earlier announcement by China in November of the previous year to waive visa requirements for visitors from South Korea and several other countries until the end of next year.

In a bid to prevent illegal stays, the justice ministry requires South Korean travel agencies to register their tourist lists on a government website a day before their arrival. Analysts suggest that the temporary visa-free program could significantly boost the nation's tourism industry, coinciding with a major holiday in China early next month.