Current status for South Korean passport holders
South Korea is included in China's unilateral visa-free policy, allowing South Korean ordinary passport holders to enter for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family/friend visits, exchange, and transit. Verify the current effective period with your local Chinese mission before every trip: MFA portal, visa-free FAQ.
Use the Chinese Embassy in South Korea or the MFA official English page as your source of truth. Do not rely on older announcements or social media.
If your passport is currently visa-free eligible
When visa-free terms apply, South Korean ordinary passport holders can enter for business, tourism, family and friend visits, exchange, and transit within the covered stay window.
Carry itinerary documents, accommodation confirmation, and return or onward travel evidence even when no visa sticker is required. Airlines and border officers may ask.
Transit fallback if needed
If your specific trip does not fit visa-free conditions, evaluate 240-hour transit only when your route is unambiguously A-China-B with a confirmed onward ticket to a different third country or region.
Confirm current port and area coverage: NIA transit notice.
Regular visa route when certainty matters
If visa-free terms do not apply or your stay is longer, apply for a regular visa before departure: COVA portal.
Follow the instructions from the Chinese Embassy in South Korea for jurisdiction-specific submission requirements.
Arrival and first-day compliance
NIA supports online arrival-card submission before landing and airport-side completion via kiosk or paper: arrival-card notice.
Hotels register guests directly. Private accommodation stays require local public security registration within 24 hours: Article 39 guidance.
Primary references
Confirm your entry path before booking.
Run the visa checker with your exact passport and itinerary. It turns this guide into a route you can execute.