Visit Korea welcomes foreign friends to Seoul

Foreigners pose for a photo at one of the welcome centers for the Commemorative Event of 2017 Welcome Week for Foreigners. [VISIT KOREA COMMITTEE]

The Visit Korea Committee launched the Commemorative Event of 2018 Welcome Week for Foreigners with Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Association yesterday.

The event, which is targeted at foreigners who wish to know more about Korea, will be held from April 25 to May 5.

These dates that the event is held overlap with China’s May Labor Day (April 29 to May 1) and Japan’s Golden Week (April 28 to May 6), and will allows tourists from these Northeast Asian countries to freely visit Korea. The committee’s projects include the Korea Tour Card, an exclusive card for foreign tourists that allows them to conveniently use public transportation, and the Hands Free Service, a luggage storage service.

A total of five welcome centers will be established at some of the most frequently visited areas of Seoul: Myeong-dong, Mount Namsan and Cheonggye Square in central Seoul, Hongdae in western Seoul, and COEX in Gangnam District, southern Seoul. Each center will offer diverse festivals and events.

At the Cheonggye Square center, several booths will host activities, such as a trick art experience, photography and a Korean fashion show.

For fans of Korean music, three stage programs will be on offer, including concerts with celebrities, B-boy performances and busking performances.

The Visit Korea Committee successfully completed its previous 2010-2012 Visit Korea Year campaign, which attracted 10 million foreign tourists.

Secretary General Han Kyung-ah of the Visit Korea Committee said, “Due to the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, we expect to see many foreigners visiting Korea during this welcome week. We hope that tourists feel welcomed [through this event] and enjoy their stay in Korea by experiencing diverse activities.”

BY LEE JEONG-HYUN [lee.jeonghyun@joongang.co.kr]