S Korean Ambassador Expects Visa-Free Tourism Exchange With Russia to Grow

South Korean ambassador to Russia, Park Ro-byug, said that there was a huge increase, by 30 percent, in a tourist flow between Russia and South Korea.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — A visa-free travel regime between Seoul and Moscow will continue fostering tourism between the two countries, the South Korean ambassador to Russia, Park Ro-byug, told Sputnik.

A visa-free travel regime between South Korea and Russia took effect in January 2014.

"In 2014 we had a huge increase, by 30 percent, in a tourist flow between the two countries," the ambassador said, adding that some 180,000 Russian tourists and 130,000 Koreans visited each other’s countries in 2014.

According to Park Ro-byug, "the number in 2015 may just slightly decrease due to currency exchange rates and the overall economic situation."

"However, we anticipate steady growth due to the visa free agreement between the two countries. About 300,000 people from South Korea and Russia will visit each other’s countries in 2015," the South Korean ambassador stressed.

The visa agreement, which was concluded during an official visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to South Korea in November 2013, allows citizens of either of the two countries to visit the other for up to 60 days at a time, and up to 90 days in total over a 180-day period without a visa.