Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon Assures Tourists of Safety Amid Economic Challenges

On November 11, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon convened an emergency economic meeting with representatives from the tourism sector, including the Korea Travel Agency Association, Korea Tourism Organization, and Asiana Airlines. This meeting was prompted by concerns regarding the significant impact of the recent state of emergency on the tourism industry.

During the meeting, strategies to overcome the crisis in the tourism sector were discussed. The city plans to utilize the Seoul Tourism Promotion Fund to provide urgent support to severely affected businesses and expand the functions of the 'Seoul Tourism Employment Support Center' to train skilled tourism personnel.

Additionally, Seoul aims to promote its image as a 'consistently safe and tourist-friendly city' to the world. To achieve this, the city will broadcast tourism videos at key locations in Seoul and in major overseas markets such as the United States, Japan, and Thailand, while also leveraging social media for wider dissemination. A city official stated, "We plan to collaborate with international travel platforms to promote Seoul's tourism products."

To further ensure that foreign tourists feel secure while visiting Seoul, the city will deploy 'mobile tourist information centers' in areas like Yeouido and Gwanghwamun. Moreover, incentives will be offered to small tourism businesses that create packages linked to major festivals or events.

The city will also advocate for the government to simplify entry procedures or exempt travelers from key countries frequently visiting Korea from the electronic travel authorization system.

Mayor Oh emphasized, "Seoul is safe, with no incidents or casualties reported even in areas where protests occur. I hope tourists will feel reassured and visit us."

Earlier, on November 9, Mayor Oh announced that he would hold emergency economic meetings twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, to monitor the economic situation in Seoul and implement support policies.