K-ETA Controversy: Stricter Entry Checks Fuel Anti-Korean Sentiment and Tourism Slump

South Korea’s strict border enforcement under the Electronic Travel Authorization system has triggered a steep drop in Thai visitors while driving up unlawful stay rates among Chinese and Vietnamese nationals, hankyung.com reported on October 9, 2026. The electronic clearance process, which requires foreign nationals to submit passport information and travel purposes in advance, has left tens of thousands of approved travelers facing secondary checks and entry denials upon arrival at Incheon International Airport.

Undocumented Thai Residents in South Korea Decline

National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee member Ahn Cheol-soo released Ministry of Justice data showing that overall undocumented residents in South Korea dropped from 423,675 in 2023 to 357,598 by the end of the prior year, hankyung.com reported. Thai nationals subject to the electronic clearance framework saw their unlawful stay population fall by 23.9%, dropping from 152,265 in 2023 to 115,851. The share of Thai citizens among total immigration enforcement targets declined from 41.2% in 2023 to 33.8% last year, and further to 22.9% between January and August of the current year, according to the same data.

Tourism sector stakeholders reported that the drop in arrivals reflects severe friction in bilateral exchanges. A tourism industry representative cited by hankyung.com described a case where a Thai doctor who secured advance approval and paid fees was turned away at the arrival gate without a clear explanation, fueling a significant anti-Korea sentiment among middle and upper-class travelers in Southeast Asia. This sentiment has manifested as a boycott movement known as Ban Korea, pulling annual visitor numbers down from 572,000 in 2019 to roughly 324,000 in 2024 and 332,000 in the following year, according to Korea Tourism Organization figures cited by hankyung.com.

Rising Unlawful Stay Rates Among Non-Applicable Nationalities

While targeted countries experienced decreases, nations exempt from the electronic clearance requirement recorded contrasting trends in immigration violations, hankyung.com reported. Chinese nationals accounted for 20.8% of all unlawful stay and employment enforcement actions through August of the current year, rising from 13.2% in 2023. Vietnam registered an increase from 19.6% to 24.9% over the same timeframe. Neither country falls under the standard pre-travel authorization mandate for ordinary passport holders.

Other Southeast Asian countries registered distinct shifts in unauthorized residency numbers. Indonesian unlawful residents grew from 11,806 in 2023 to 13,367 the following year, while Laos and East Timor posted higher percentage increases of 33.6% and 21.7% respectively, hankyung.com reported. By August of the current year, figures for Indonesia reached 14,062, Laos recorded 1,167, and East Timor registered 1,776, exceeding totals from the close of the prior year.

Thousands of Cleared Foreign Visitors Denied Entry

The electronic authorization framework, introduced in September 2021, requires visa-free foreign visitors to obtain clearance prior to departure. Thailand was integrated into the system in April 2022 alongside the resumption of visa-free entry. However, approval does not guarantee entry, as travelers must clear an additional immigration inspection upon landing. Between 2022 and August of the current year, 74,413 foreign applicants who received prior clearance were denied entry, primarily due to insufficient verification of travel purpose, hankyung.com reported.

The Ministry of Justice withholds country-specific data on approval, refusal, and post-approval entry rejections, citing potential impacts on diplomatic relations. Travel agencies and tour operators have criticized the structure as an effective double screening process that damages trust in South Korea. A source within the tourism sector told hankyung.com that repeated entry refusals have forced agencies to consider business closures as revenue streams dry up.

Politicians Call for Structural Immigration Revisions

Political representatives have called for structural revisions to balance enforcement with predictability for legitimate travelers. Representative Ahn Cheol-soo stated that the strict enforcement model implemented during the tenure of former Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon failed to resolve unlawful immigration while damaging diplomatic ties and tourism, hankyung.com reported. The Seoul metropolitan government has similarly petitioned the central government to simplify procedures and expand exemption categories to revive foreign tourism.

Uncertainty remains regarding whether immigration authorities will adjust pre-travel screening protocols before temporary visa-free waivers and exemptions expire at the end of 2026, or if further legislative amendments will address the disparity between targeted and exempt nationalities.