South Korea will waive visa fees for Chinese and Southeast Asian visitors as it seeks to turn around a tourist industry badly affected by the MERS outbreak.
The Justice Ministry said any visas already issued can be extended for a further three months as it enters the peak July-August tourist season.
"Starting next Monday, from July 6 to the end of September, for three months, visa application fees will be temporarily exempted for group tourists from five countries including China. The four Southeast Asian countries, are Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Cambodia. These countries will also be exempt from visa application fees."
Standard tourist visa fees usually cost $15.
"These measures are aimed to help boost the tourism industry, which has been affected by the MERS outbreak," a government issued statement said.
In June the number of foreign visitors plunged 50% due to the MERS outbreak which claimed the lives of dozens of people.
