The Republic of Korea (Rok) has made it easier for Vietnamese tourists, patients, and students to obtain a visa, requiring fewer evidentiary documents when applying for the visa and enjoying a greatly reduced processing time and application fee.

Park Noh Wan, the Minister-Counsellor of the RoK Embassy in Vietnam, made the announcement at a seminar in Hanoi on August 27.

The application fee has been reduced to only US$15 per person and the visa can be secured within two days from the day of registration. The requirements for entry declarations have also been abolished, Park said.

The diplomat added that the move is aimed at creating more favourable conditions for Vietnamese travellers to visit the RoK.

The Consular Office of the RoK embassy in Vietnam said it has granted 9,169 short-term tourism visas in the first six months of the year, doubling the figure a year earlier.

Between January-July 2014, as many as 83,095 Vietnamese people travelled to the RoK, an increase of 23.4% compared to the same period last year.

VOV/VNN