President Lee Calls for Realignment of Departure Fee to Support Tourism
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
President Lee Jae-myung said South Korea should ‘realize’ its departure fee (a small charge collected when leaving the country) during a ministry briefing, arguing government finances are strained after a recent reduction. Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young noted that comparable countries charge an average of 29,000 won. The president suggested restoring the fee to previous levels and considering increases in line with global trends, while warning of public backlash. He also pushed for a stronger, whole-of-government tourism strategy—citing Japan’s past national push—and discussed tackling on-the-ground problems such as overcharging (baragee, informal tourist price gouging) and poor service. Lee called tourism a key cultural export industry and urged opening as many paths as possible for its growth.
