Citizens of both Korea and Japan showed positive attitudes toward pursuing an economic community and formed a consensus on tourism cooperation.
The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Friday released the results of a "Survey on Korea-Japan Tourism Cooperation and Economic Community," conducted by Hankook Research with 500 citizens each from Korea and Japan.
According to the survey, on the idea of Korea and Japan forming an economic community like the European Union (EU), 52.6% of Korean citizens said "it is difficult right now but should be pursued over the mid-to-long term," while 17.2% said "I strongly support it and it should be pursued promptly," for a total of 69.8% in favor.
Among Japanese citizens, 59.8% supported forming a Korea-Japan economic community. In particular, the approval rate among Japanese citizens who had visited Korea within the past five years (74.5%) far exceeded that of those with no visiting experience (45.4%). The KCCI analyzed that bilateral exchange is leading to favorable perceptions of economic cooperation. Earlier, KCCI Chairman Tae-won Choi had emphasized the concept of a Korea-Japan economic community as part of a survival strategy, including responding to the reshaping of the global trade order.
There were also many voices hoping to expand Korea-Japan tourism cooperation. Some 76.8% of Korean citizens and 58% of Japanese citizens were in favor, with citizens of both countries citing "expectations for revitalizing the tourism industry and domestic economy" as the representative reason. As for reasons against, Korean citizens cited "concerns over deepening historical and emotional conflict" (51.2%) and "because bilateral relations are not yet sufficiently mature" (45.2%). Japanese citizens cited "public safety and security issues" (71.7%) and "concerns over deepening historical and emotional conflict" (54.7%).
Both countries were favorable toward simplifying immigration. On a "plan to allow immigration between Korea and Japan using only one's own national ID card without a passport," 60.4% of Korean citizens and 44.8% of Japanese citizens were in favor. Opposition stood at 32.8% and 35% for Korea and Japan, respectively. As for reasons in favor, more than 85% of citizens in both countries cited "increased convenience of travel procedures," followed by "savings on passport issuance and reissuance costs."
According to Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the passport ownership rate among Japanese citizens last year was a low 17.5%. Experts pointed to the burden of language communication, the weak yen trend, and passport issuance costs as causes, and forecast that if these barriers were improved, Japanese people's international mobility would expand and the number of travelers visiting Korea would also increase.
However, views were divided on applying a single visa for third countries. On the question of introducing a "mutual visa recognition system that would allow third-country nationals who have obtained only one of either a Korean or Japanese visa to visit both countries in connection," support (50%) narrowly edged out opposition (45.2%) in Korea. In Japan, by contrast, opposition (38.6%) slightly exceeded support (34.6%).
If a mutual visa recognition system is implemented, a third-country traveler who obtained a Japanese visa and visited Japan could travel to Korea without a separate Korean visa issuance procedure. Likened to the "Schengen Agreement" that stipulates visa-free passage among EU member states, it is called the "Korea-Japan Schengen Agreement." According to the KCCI's "Analysis of the Economic Effects of Korea-Japan Tourism Cooperation" conducted last year, introducing such a system could attract up to 1.84 million additional tourists to Korea.
As for reasons supporting the Korea-Japan Schengen Agreement, both countries agreed on "expectations for boosting the domestic economy through an increase in foreign tourists." As reasons against, Korean citizens cited "concerns over an increase in illegal foreign residents and workers" (66.4%), while Japanese citizens cited "concerns over domestic public safety and rising crime" (74.6%).
On the compatibility of transit cards and mobile payments, citizens of both Korea and Japan agreed it could enhance travel convenience. Asked whether "mutual transit card compatibility would help travel convenience," 83% of Korean citizens and 64.2% of Japanese citizens answered "it would help." Regarding "mutual linkage of mobile payments," 85.6% of Korean citizens and 66% of Japanese citizens were positive.
In practice, both Korea and Japan are transitioning to "open loop" payments, in which travelers tag a credit card or smartphone at ticket gates instead of a separate transit card. Japan introduced open loop payments in March this year, led by major rail operators including Tokyo Metro. Korea is also pursuing the establishment of an open loop transit payment system based on the international credit card contactless payment standard (EMV standard) by 2030, spearheaded by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
Park Beom-seok, head of the International Marketing Division at the Korea Tourism Organization, said, "Foreign tourists' preference for using mobile payments is increasingly rising, not only because of payment convenience but also because of the various discounts and marketing benefits provided as add-ons," adding, "If payment infrastructure that allows the immediate use of one's own mobile payments expands, travelers' satisfaction will greatly improve."
