A South Korean National Assembly petition to end visa-free entry for Chinese nationals reached 92,000 signatures by September 23, 2026, and was referred to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee after clearing the threshold for parliamentary review.
The petition was posted on August 31, 2026. It passed 50,000 signatures on September 12, then went to the committee on September 14.
That referral starts a review. It does not change entry rules by itself.
South Korea’s public petition system requires a filing to collect 50,000 signatures within 30 days to qualify for formal committee review. The committee now has the petition before it, but the signature count alone does not enact the requested restrictions.
The filing seeks wider checks on foreign arrivals
The proposal targets more than visa access for Chinese visitors. It also urges tighter checks on noncitizens generally, including reviews of criminal records, wanted status, previous refusals of entry and immigration violations.
The screening requests extend to Interpol red notices, deportation history and illegal stays. The petition calls for immigration checks regardless of a person’s nationality.
The filing’s reported title is “Petition Calling for a Ban on Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Nationals and Stronger Entry Screening and Crime Management for Foreign Nationals.” One account identifies the petitioner by the surname Kim and says the request includes “immediate revocation” of limited visa-free access. A Korean-language summary of the petition platform identifies the filer as Han**.
Limited exemptions and Jeju incidents frame the appeal
South Korea generally does not grant Chinese nationals visa-free entry, according to reporting on the petition. Limited exceptions apply to group visits and travel to Jeju Island.
Public concern over recent crimes and unusual incidents on Jeju helped fuel support for the appeal. The petition’s broader screening demands would apply to foreign arrivals generally, not only people traveling under those exemptions.
Support rose quickly during the consent period. Earlier updates recorded about 20,000 signatures on September 8 and 60,000-plus by September 16. Another update put the count at 62,000 on the morning of September 16.
| Date | Reported signatures |
|---|---|
| September 8 | About 20,000 |
| September 12 | More than 50,000 |
| September 16 | 60,000-plus; another update reported 62,000 that morning |
| September 18 | 78,800 |
| September 23 | 92,000 |
The public consent period runs through September 30, 2026. The petition had already qualified for review before that closing date.
A separate, similar petition was posted on September 1 and had drawn more than 12,000 signatures, according to another account. It is distinct from the filing now before the committee.
