<기사제목>Mid-sized Ombudsman Proposes Fast Track and Flight Expansion to Chinese Ambassador

Jubong Park, Small and Medium Business Ombudsman. / Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] Park Joobong, the Small and Medium Business Ombudsman, announced on the 12th that he met with Xing Haiming, the Chinese Ambassador to Korea, to discuss cooperation measures between the two countries to resolve difficulties faced by Korean and Chinese companies regarding entry and exit to China.

On the same day, Ombudsman Park met with Ambassador Xing Haiming at the Government Seoul Office and proposed expanding the fast-track application areas and increasing the number of flights to enable businesspeople to enter and exit quickly.

At the meeting, the idea of establishing a one-stop (ONE-STOP) service desk was also suggested to alleviate inconveniences faced by small and medium enterprises in both countries.

Ombudsman Park said, "I hope today's proposal will serve as an opportunity to further develop Korea-China economic exchanges and help ease the difficulties faced by businesspeople even a little."

According to the Small and Medium Business Ombudsman, companies entering and exiting China must undergo a three-step entry permit review process after receiving an invitation letter from the Chinese mainland when entering China. Additionally, they must submit proof of a negative test result for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) to obtain a visa. Including the self-quarantine period to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the total processing time reportedly exceeds 20 days.

Korea and China have introduced a fast-track system through regular consultations, expanding flights from 10 times a week to 20 times recently. The fast-track application areas have increased from 10 to 19, and as of the end of last month, about 7,000 Korean businesspeople have completed entry into China.

However, businesspeople continue to complain that the approval procedures by Chinese authorities are complicated when returning from China to Korea, and the number of available flights is severely insufficient. An industry official said, "Chinese airlines currently operate just over 100 passenger flights per week across the entire mainland, making it almost impossible for businesspeople to secure tickets." He added, "Especially in the capital, Beijing, Chinese authorities are enforcing even stricter foreign entry and exit controls, making access difficult to the extent that it is excluded from the fast-track system."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.