Thaad’s impact on tourism hazy
Chinese tourists on a shopping spree in Myeong-dong, central Seoul. [JOONGANG ILBO]
On a recent afternoon, the 16-year-old Chinese student stood outside a store in the bustling shopping district of Myeong-dong that sold things like clothes and calendars bearing the pictures of Korean celebrities.
She was one of the hundreds of young Chinese that have continued to flock to Korea following the end of the mega-hit Korean drama “The Descendants of the Sun,” despite her government’s vehement opposition to Thaad, which it says will be used to spy on China’s military and has undermined “the foundation of mutual trust” between Korea and China.
But with the glimmer in the teenager’s eyes, it seemed clear that she was more interested in buying a portrait of Song Joong Ki, the star of “Descendants,” than politics.
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in Hawaii. [JOONGANG ILBO]
The controversy comes at a time when Chinese tourists are more important to Korea’s economy than ever. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, as of June 2016, 48.8 percent of Korea’s foreign visitors were Chinese, whereas Chinese tourists accounted for only 13.5 percent of the total in 2006.
But it seems the Thaad decision is already affecting some Chinese. Yingbao, a 34-year-old engineer from Beijing who was walking down the main drag, stressed that the defense system will have a “very bad influence” on the relationship between the two countries. He said that Chinese tourists will have no reason to visit Korea if the situation worsens.
Similarly, a 50-year-old Chinese journalist standing nearby, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he believed that the number of Chinese tourists will decrease in the coming weeks because of Thaad.
However, there are other Chinese who are indifferent to - or even unaware of - the missile defense system. Jisu, 24, was happily carrying a bag bearing the logo of Korean skincare brand “Dr. Jart,” and she said that the growing tension between Korea and China will not discourage her from doing her shopping.
Nearby, a 52-year-old housewife from Beijing echoed that sentiment.
“Disagreements between nations will not determine my personal choice of holiday destination,” she said.
Some shopkeepers in the area were similarly nonplussed.
“I am experiencing a decrease in number of Chinese visitors, but it’s not because of the deployment of Thaad - it’s due to the intense heat of this summer,” said a 62-year-old woman who runs a store selling ginseng products. She believes the media is exaggerating China’s aggressive attitude towards Thaad.
Others aren’t so blase. One woman who runs a jewelry shop said she’d noticed a big drop in the number of Chinese tourists and believed Thaad was to blame, and even those who haven’t seen a huge change seem to be waiting for the axe to fall.
“I didn’t notice a big difference in the number of Chinese on the streets. However, the Chinese government is capable of banning travel packages to Korea while encouraging its people to adopt negative views about the country,” said Ahn Yun Ok, 62, who runs a corner store.
“I think it’s too early to come to conclusions,” said a shopkeeper at the Mandarina Duck suitcase store in Lotte Department Store’s Myeong-dong branch. She claimed that around 70 percent of her customers are Chinese, and while she has noticed a slight fall in the number of Chinese tourists, she’s cautious to identify the reason for this change.
“Seasonal fluctuations affect the number of visitors, and the deployment of Thaad appears to be one of a variety of potential factors. For now, we will just have to wait and see.”
BY JANG HA-IK, SEO JUNG-MIN [janghi1333@naver.com, jungmini.seo@gmail.com]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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