50,000 South Koreans Petition to 'Cancel China's Visa-Free Entry': Surge in Fugitive Foreign Criminals — Are Chinese Crime Rates Really Higher?

A petition on South Korea’s National Assembly petition website calling for an end to visa-free entry for Chinese nationals has already collected support from over 50,000 people. The petitioners argue that such measures are necessary to safeguard South Korean society.

According to CNA (Central News Agency), recent weeks have seen growing calls on the National Assembly’s 'Citizen Petition' platform demanding the abolition of visa-free entry for Chinese citizens. One such petition had garnered over 50,000 signatures by last Saturday.

Titled 'Call to Ban Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Nationals and Strengthen Foreigner Entry Screening and Crime Management,' the petition cites the maintenance of public order in South Korea as its rationale, urging the government to terminate the visa-free policy for Chinese citizens. It also calls for enhanced entry screening for all foreigners, improved in-country management, and better mechanisms for sharing criminal information.

Petitioners note that as the number of foreigners living and operating in South Korea increases, some local residents have grown increasingly concerned about crimes committed by foreigners.

Are Chinese nationals more likely to commit crimes?

The current policy in South Korea does not offer individual visa-free entry to Chinese citizens, but rather applies to organized tour groups from designated travel agencies. Groups of three or more are allowed to stay in South Korea for up to 15 days without a visa. This policy, initially introduced on September 29, 2025, was extended this year until December 31, 2026.

The petition cites statistics indicating that in 2024, there were 35,296 foreign criminal suspects in South Korea—an increase of 6.8% from the previous year—and points out that Chinese nationals account for a relatively high proportion of foreign crime cases.

Yonhap News Agency reported in May 2025, citing police data, that in 2024, a total of 768 foreigners were suspected of major violent crimes in South Korea—including murder, robbery, and sexual assault—with Chinese nationals making up 33.3% (256 individuals). However, the report also noted that this high percentage is largely due to the large population of Chinese nationals residing in South Korea. When calculating suspect rates per capita, the crime rate among Chinese nationals is actually lower than that of South Koreans.

Another aspect drawing attention to foreign crime in South Korea recently is the issue of foreign criminals fleeing to the country after committing crimes abroad. Official figures show that, as of August this year, over 100 foreign criminals have fled to South Korea, with Chinese nationals forming the largest group.

According to Yonhap, a document submitted by the South Korean National Police Agency to ruling party Democratic Party lawmakers on September 8 revealed that, as of September 12, a total of 110 foreigners who had committed crimes overseas had entered South Korea and remained at large. Among them, Chinese nationals subject to investigation requests from Chinese authorities through Interpol numbered 40—accounting for 36% of the total. This was followed by Uzbekistan (19), Mongolia (17), and Vietnam (13).

The related petition argues that South Korea needs to reassess its visa-free policy for Chinese tourist groups, strengthen pre-entry identity verification and criminal risk assessments for foreigners, and further enhance international cooperation on criminal information sharing. For foreigners with criminal records, it urges tighter entry management measures.

The 'Chinese Phenomenon' in Jeju Island

Additionally, several recent criminal incidents involving Chinese nationals on South Korea’s Jeju Island—including violent altercations among Chinese individuals—have intensified public debate.

Under special regulations applicable to Jeju, foreigners may enter the island without a visa and stay for up to 30 days, although they are prohibited from traveling to other parts of South Korea without authorization. Moreover, to attract foreign investors, Jeju introduced favorable investment immigration policies in the 2010s, allowing permanent residency for those investing over 5 million won (approximately 32,000 euros).

These rules have not only attracted large numbers of Chinese tourists to Jeju but also led to a surge in Chinese-funded real estate development projects, some of which are now abandoned. A report published in early September by Süddeutsche Zeitung stated that Chinese investment, immigration, and tourism are transforming Jeju Island, raising concerns among local residents, urban planners, and administrative authorities.

Currently, another petition on the National Assembly’s website calls for the abolition of the 'visa-free entry system for Jeju Special Self-Governing Province.'

Under South Korea’s 'Citizen Petition' system, any public petition receiving over 50,000 signatures within 30 days must be reviewed by the relevant National Assembly committee. Therefore, petitions surpassing 50,000 signatures will be forwarded to the appropriate legislative committees for deliberation.

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