(Yicai Global) Dec. 1 -- In a bid to attract more Chinese tourists to the country, South Korea waived visa requirement for certain category of Chinese citizens for visits up to 15 days. Chinese citizens who have no criminal record and fit the required criteria will be eligible for 15-day visa-free stay in South Korea from Dec. 1 to March 31, Xinhua News Agency reported.

However, the visa-free entry will be applied to Chinese citizens with normal records of arrival in and departure from South Korea with an ordinary visa issued by Korean authorities in the past five years, as well as Chinese travelers with tickets for PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games worth over KRW200,000 (USD185), who will go through relevant formalities at the designated travel agencies, and Chinese citizens with an official government passport.

South Korea will also allow individual Chinese tourists on cruise ships to visit the country for sightseeing next year, a practice which is only applied to tourists on group tours at present. It will also extend the length of stay for cruises entering the ports of Donghae and Sokcho in Gangwon province during the Winter Olympics to five days from three days.

PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games will be held in Pyeongchang County, Gangwon-do in South Korea from Feb. 9 to Feb. 25 next year, while the Paralympic Games will be held from March 9 to March 18.