Yoo In-chon, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea, visited Shanghai, China from November 21 to 23 at the invitation of the Chinese government. During his visit, he attended the opening ceremony of the China International Travel Mart (CITM) on November 22 and held a meeting with Sun Yeli, the Minister of the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism, on November 23. This was the first Korea-China cultural and tourism ministers’ meeting held in five and a half years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The meeting took place in a positive atmosphere, especially after China announced a unilateral visa waiver for Koreans from this month until the end of next year, extending the waiver period from 15 to 30 days. Minister Yoo expressed gratitude for China’s decision and expressed his commitment to enhancing the convenience of Chinese tourists visiting Korea.
During their talks, the ministers expressed intentions to regularize high-level ministerial meetings and exchanges between their respective cultural institutions and businesses. They discussed collaboration in areas such as museums, theaters, and arts organizations and emphasized the ongoing cooperation in film, games, and the entertainment sector. Minister Yoo highlighted the opportunities for joint ventures in the global market through stronger collaboration.
Minister Yoo also held bilateral meetings with Sorawong Thienthong, the Minister of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, and Tiong King Sing, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia. Issues related to the convenience of entry for tourists were discussed, and both Thai and Malaysian ministers expressed interest in further enhancing cultural exchanges and cooperation in film and drama productions.
Furthermore, Minister Yoo participated in events such as a meeting with content industry leaders and a seminar on inbound tourism products, aiming to encourage cultural and tourism cooperation between the two countries.
Throughout these engagements, Minister Yoo reiterated the importance of cultural exchanges in contributing to regional economic revitalization and building a stronger partnership with neighboring countries.