Visitors to Korea wear 'I'm Taiwanese' badges to avoid anti-Chinese sentiment, get better treatment
Published: 14 Oct. 2025, 17:52
![Badges reading “I’m Taiwanese,” popular among Taiwanese tourists [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/10/14/2157a889-d6cd-4b14-8d38-ebc735e2d4e4.jpg)
Badges reading “I’m Taiwanese,” popular among Taiwanese tourists [SCREEN CAPTURE]
As Korea allows visa-free entry for Chinese tourists despite growing domestic protests, Taiwanese visitors are choosing to wear badges identifying themselves as Taiwanese to avoid being mistaken for Chinese nationals.
A social media post on Friday showed a badge reading “I’m Taiwanese” in Korean alongside the Taiwanese flag. The post questioned whether such a badge was necessary, citing rising anti-Chinese sentiment in Korea.
Many Taiwanese users responded that Koreans often struggle to tell Chinese and Taiwanese visitors apart. Some said they noticed a marked difference in how shop staff treated them when wearing the badge.
Anti-Chinese protests have intensified in recent weeks. Last Friday, a conservative civic group gathered near the Chinese Embassy in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, chanting slogans such as “Eradicate anti-state forces” and “No to Chinese influence,” while using slurs against Chinese nationals.
On Sept. 29, about 270 people joined another rally in Yeouido, Western Seoul, demanding an investigation into a recent fire at the National Information Resources Service and protesting the government’s visa-free policy for Chinese tourists. Some participants wore clothing with anti-China slogans, including “Heaven will destroy the Chinese Communist Party.”
Meanwhile, the number of Chinese tourists entering Korea continues to climb. According to the Ministry of Justice, 525,396 Chinese nationals visited in October, up 16.4 percent from a year earlier. As of August, Chinese tourists accounted for one-third of all foreign visitors, according to the Korea Tourism Organization.
To boost inbound tourism, the Korean government began allowing visa-free entry for Chinese tour groups of three or more people on Sept. 29. The policy will remain in effect through June 30 next year.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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