HERE'S HOW YOU CAN ENJOY FREE ACTIVITIES IN SOUTH KOREA WITHOUT NEEDING A VISA

(SPOT.ph) We bet you're already planning your winter trips or your 2024 getaways. In case you bit the bullet and booked a long-haul flight stopping at South Korea's Incheon International Airport, here's some news for you. Filipinos bound for a third country and transiting via Incheon Airport can enter Korea visa-free. Here's everything we know about this new transit program.

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Here's how you can get free tours to South Korea visa-free:

Starting April 2023, Filipino transit passengers traveling to/from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and 32 European countries may stay in Korea for a maximum of 30 days without a Korean visa. This was further expanded in May 2023, when Filipino transit passengers with a layover in Incheon International Airport headed to destinations other than those previously covered were also given stays for up to three days visa-free given they participate in a Transit Tour Program recognized by the Korean Government. 

What is a Transit Tour Program in South Korea?

A Transit Tour Program is a range of free layover itineraries transiting passengers can avail of from Incheon International Airport. These English tours are conducted with time frames ranging from 30 minutes to over five hours and are free to join except for certain attractions that charge their own admission fees. 

Transiting tourists can choose from the following courses, which they can book online or through the main registration desks at the terminal.

Check out the following available tours and their durations:

30-minute Tours

  • Hanbok Experience/Hangeul Craft at Incheon International Airport

One-hour Tours

  • Temple Tour at Yonggungsa Temple

Two-hour Tours

  • Landscape tour at Yedanpo Trail and Haneul Garden
  • Songdo Central Park and Tri-bowl Tour

Three-hour Tours

  • Hanji Experience Workshop and Sinpo Market
  • Shopping at Hyundai Premium Outlet and Triple Street

Four-hour Tours

  • Cave Theme Park tour at Gwangmyeong Cave
  • Hongdae Street Tour

Five-hour Tours

  • Past and Present Tours at Cheongwadeae and Tongin Market
  • Traditional Tours at Gyeongbok Palace and Insa-dong
  • Peaceful Korea Tours at Imjingak Pyeonghwa Nuri Park and Dokgae Bridge
  • DMZ Tours at The Third Tunnel and Dora Observatory
  • Future Tours at Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang and Yeongjongdaegyo Observatory
  • Historical Tours at Jeongdeungsa Temple

Tourists are encouraged to book online to guarantee a slot in the tours. All tour participants must arrive at the designated meet-up points on the first floor of the airport with their travel documents, 30 minutes at the latest, before a tour starts. Those who arrive late will be considered no-shows, and their slots can be given to waitlisted tourists.

Other tour packages in South Korea available for transiting passengers:

Alternatively, passengers with transfers via Incheon International Airport for more than one night can avail of K-Stopover products instead. While these packages aren't free, they do provide recommendations for hotels, transportation, and activities. Choose from self-guided tours, packaged tours, or a mix of both through your own DIY tour.

You may book these K-Stopover tours at the airports at these locations:

Alternatively, you can also book them online. 

For more information, visit Korea Tourism Organization Manila Office's Facebook page.

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2023-12-05T08:05:52Z dg43tfdfdgfd