South Korea's tourism sector is preparing for an influx of Chinese travelers as its visa-free policy for Chinese tour groups will take effect on Monday, two days ahead of China's National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday running from Oct 1 to 8. The visa-free policy will last for nine months until June 30, 2026, as part of efforts to boost local tourism. In Seoul's Gangnam District, the owners of a mom-and-pop clothing store are learning the Chinese language. They used to depend on their employees to talk with Chinese customers, but increased tourism has encouraged them to pick it up themselves. Merchants in Seoul's major commercial districts, such as Myeong-dong, Hongdae and Seongsu-dong, are recruiting employees who can speak Chinese, and many street food stalls have also put up a Chinese-language menu. The merchants have also introduced China's mobile payment services to improve Chinese tourists' shopping experience. China has long been the largest source of inbound tourists to South Korea. According to the latest data from the Korea Tourism Organization, Chinese tourists accounted for 28.6 percent of all foreign tourists to South Korea in the first half of 2025. With the visa-free policy for Chinese group tourists set to come into effect soon, South Korea is expected to receive over 5 million Chinese tourist visits this year. Major South Korean airlines have also increased flights to China, with routes from Incheon to China's Kunming, Fuzhou, Chongqing recently opening or reopening. Shotlist: Seoul, South Korea - Recent: 1. Various of middle-aged couple entering classroom; Chinese lesson in progress; 2. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Lee Myung-jae, shop owner (ending with shot 3): "We'd like to improve our oral communication ability, and we are studying hard."; 3. Various of Chinese lesson in progress; 4. Various of tourists, shoppers; 5. Notice recruiting employee able to speak Chinese; 6. Various of Chinese-language volunteers on street, talking with tourists; 7. SOUNDBITE (Korean) vendor (name not given) (ending with shot 8): "The arrival of more Chinese tourists has made the nearby commercial districts bustling, and increased our incomes."; 8. Various of vendor working at food stall; South Korea - Recent 9. Various of tourist attractions; tourists taking, posing for photos, getting on bus; 10. SOUNDBITE (Korean) travel agency staffer (name not given) (ending with shot 11): "As more and more Chinese tourists hope to experience local life in South Korea, we are working hard to launch some products that can offer a deeper understanding of South Korean culture, such as tour routes that include traditional markets and small cities."; 11. Various of markets, food stalls, tourists; 12. Various of passengers at airport; 13. Various of screen showing flight information. [Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]