South Korean President Lee Jae-myung File photo: VCG

 
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on Thursday called for a crackdown on anti-Chinese rallies and other demonstrations against foreigners, saying such discriminatory acts and hate speeches harm national interests, the Yonhap News Agency reported on Thursday.

Lee made the call at a meeting with senior aides amid concerns that ongoing anti-China protests in downtown Seoul could undermine the growing influx of Chinese visitors following the launch of a new temporary visa-free entry program for group tourists earlier this week, the Yonhap reported.

"Rumors and hate speech targeting specific countries and their people are being spread indiscriminately, and racially discriminatory rallies continue," Lee said, according to the Yonhap report. "These utterly harmful, self-destructive acts that damage our national interest and image must be completely eradicated,” said the report.

Lee noted the Myeongdong shopping district in Seoul has become vibrant following the introduction of temporary visa-free entry for Chinese tourists, hoping the influx of travelers would boost domestic spending and aid economic recovery, the Yonhap reported. "At a time when we should be grateful, encouraging and welcoming, how can we instead engage in hatred, insults and abusive behavior?" he asked.

According to the Korea Herald on Thursday, Lee said, "I urge relevant government agencies to thoroughly crack down on inciting acts that threaten the safety of foreign tourists here and swiftly prepare special measures to eradicate discriminatory hate speech.”

"Who would ever want to travel to a country and buy goods there if its people slander them for no reason,” the Korea Herald reported.

Lee in early September condemned recent rallies and demonstrations targeting tourists from China, describing them as "not freedom of expression, but disturbance," according to another Yonhap report.

Chinese Embassy in South Korea released a security notice, reminding Chinese travelers in South Korea to stay away from rallies and enhance safety precautions on September 26, in light of recent developments and issues previously encountered by Chinese tourists, as many Chinese nationals are expected to visit South Korea during the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays.

Starting from September 29, South Korea has implemented a trial visa-free entry for Chinese tour groups, which was a positive response to China's trial visa-free for South Korea that began in November 2024, said a spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in South Korea, according to a statement issued by the embassy on Thursday. 

The introduction of visa facilitation measures by both China and South Korea is beneficial for promoting exchanges between the two countries, enhancing mutual understanding and friendship and fostering commercial development. According to South Korean statistics and media reports, the number of Chinese tourists visiting South Korea has increased significantly in recent days, along with a notable rise in sales for businesses in areas such as Seoul's Myeongdong, according to the statement.

The central and local governments, the tourism industry and mainstream media in South Korea have all welcomed this move, and the South Korean public has shown friendliness and enthusiasm, according to the statement.

At the same time, we regret to note that some South Korean political figures have been spreading misinformation, and individual far-right groups have intermittently held anti-China demonstrations in areas with high concentrations of Chinese tourists such as Seoul's Myeongdong and Daerim-dong. Both China and South Korea have explicitly opposed such actions, said the spokesperson.

It has been learned that certain far-right forces in South Korea are scheduled to hold an anti-China rally in central Seoul on October 3. They have chosen to do this on the festive occasion of the Chinese National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival, as well as the South Korean celebration of Gaecheonjeol and the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is a deliberate provocation and will not gain public support, according to the statement.

The Chinese Embassy in South Korea reminds Chinese tourists currently in South Korea or planning to visit to remain highly vigilant and pay attention to their personal safety. We also sternly demand that the South Korean side effectively ensure the safety and legal rights of Chinese nationals in South Korea, said the spokesperson.

According to the statement, recently, senior officials of the South Korean government and various insightful figures have clearly said that the anti-China rhetoric and actions of a minority of forces are damaging South Korea's national image and interests, and have called for a serious response. We believe that with the joint efforts of all sectors in China and South Korea, the strategic cooperative partnership between China and South Korea will surely develop positively, and the schemes of a few political forces will not succeed, said the spokesperson.

Global Times