Anti-China rallies increase in Korea amid visa-free tourism policy

An anti-China rally takes place in front of the Chinese Embassy in central Seoul's Myeong-dong, Sept. 19. Yonhap

An increasing number of anti-China rallies are being held in areas of Seoul such as the shopping district of Myeong-dong and neighborhoods with large Chinese immigrant populations, especially after the nation began a new visa-free entry policy for Chinese tour groups.

Over the past months, protesters aligned with conservative civic groups — mostly right-wing supporters of former President Yoon Suk Yeol — have staged demonstrations. Some participants even showed aggressive behavior, tearing down banners depicting the Chinese ambassador’s face, shouting slogans such as “China Out” and confronting foreign tourists with hostile remarks.

Demonstrators have also linked their grievances to various alleged crimes by Chinese nationals, intensifying the wave of animosity.

According to data released by Rep. Chung Choon-saeng of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party on Wednesday, the number of anti-China rallies in Seoul’s Myeong-dong area — where the Chinese Embassy is located — was 20 in 2022, 15 in 2023 and 13 in 2024. But the number has surged to 65 this year, including those reported to police for planning in October.

In the past four years, four out of 10 demonstrations restricted or banned by police in the district were categorized as “anti-China rallies,” authorities added, citing threats to public order and obstruction of traffic. These protests, once concentrated downtown, have spread to places with large Chinese immigrant populations, including the neighborhood of Daerim-dong in Guro District and the Konkuk University area of Seongdong District.

A conservative protester carries signs with anti-China slogans during a rally near the Chinese Embassy in Myeong-dong, Seoul, Aug. 13. Korea Times photo by Choi Ju-yeon

The anti-China sentiment became widespread after the Dec. 3 martial law fiasco caused by former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who aligned with some far-right conspiracy theories of Chinese interference in elections. Since then, far-right YouTube channels and outlets have amplified narratives that combine distrust of China with broader nationalist rhetoric.

Now the sentiment has been revived alongside the government’s decision to temporarily allow visa-free entry for tour groups from China for up to 15 days, with the program in effect through June 30 next year. The program is aimed to boost local consumption and tourism, while reciprocating China’s earlier policy granting visa-free entry to Koreans.

Some extremists, both online and offline, now claim that the visa-free policy could lead to an influx of “30 million Chinese tourists” into Korea, a figure widely viewed by experts as grossly exaggerated and aimed at stoking public fear.

Xenophobic posts repeating the number have circulated across far-right networks, often accompanied by warnings of crime, epidemics or even national destabilization.

Some conservative lawmakers have taken advantage of this sentiment to claim the influx of Chinese visitors as a threat to national security.

Rep. Na Kyung-won of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) argued that without robust tracking systems, “visa-free entrants cannot be adequately monitored.”

Police stand between the Chinese Embassy and protesters holding an anti-China rally in Seoul's Myeong-dong area, Aug. 13. Korea Times photo by Choi Ju-yeon

Authorities have signaled that they will take a firmer stance against these demonstrations.

Seoul Metropolitan Police Chief Park Jeong-bo visited Myeong-dong on Wednesday, urging officers to respond “strictly” to hate speech or violence against tourists during the upcoming Chuseok holiday.

“Foreign visitors must feel both safe and welcome in Korea,” he said, stressing that such incidents risk tarnishing the country’s international standing.

Meanwhile, conservative groups continue to defy restrictions. Jayu University, a far-right civic group of young people, filed a lawsuit challenging police limits on its upcoming Oct. 3 rally, during which members planned to march with anti-China slogans. It marks the first time authorities have explicitly banned hateful chants as a condition for rally approval.