From 2026 South Korea will launch a "Local Love Holiday Support" program to boost travel to depopulated areas. Travelers to 84 eligible regions (out of 89 designated depopulation municipalities, excluding district-level areas in metropolitan cities) can receive up to 50% of trip costs refunded in regional currency (지역화폐) — capped at 200,000 won for groups and 100,000 won for individuals. The government will select 20 pilot areas through a competition next year and allocate 20 billion won for the first phase, with gradual expansion in 2027. Passport fees will rise by 2,000 won from March 2026 due to a next-generation electronic passport; a 10-year e-passport (58 pages) will cost 40,000 won (up from 38,000). The government will also promote healing tourism through a new law in April 2026 and expand the lighthouse stamp tour to 100 sites, introducing a new “sunrise lighthouse passport.” (지역화폐: local government-issued vouchers used like cash)
