Travel agencies to handle all Korea visa applications from July 1

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos who want to travel to South Korea to get a firsthand experience of Korean culture will no longer need to go to the Korean Embassy for tourist visas.

Starting July 1, visa applications will be processed through designated travel agencies only, the Korean Embassy in Manila announced.  

This is due to the number of Korean visa applicants. In 2017, there were around 160,000 visa applicants compared to the 120,000 in 2016 and 90,000 in 2015.

“This increase in number of visa applicants caused the applicants to stand in hot weather outside the embassy for hours to wait in line for their turn to apply for respective visa,” the Korean Embassy said.

The embassy, however, will allow walk-in applicants only for spouses and children of Koreans, holders of visa issuance number, government employees with official business trips and for those with humanitarian reasons for urgent travel to Korea.

Filipinos' interest in visiting South Korea is a result of the Hallyu craze or the Korean wave. This can be attributed to the rise in popularity of K-pop and K-dramas in the country.

Here is the list of the 35 travel agencies designated to process temporary visitor’s visa application:

• Aboex Travel and Tours
• Adventure International
• Ark Travel Express Inc.
• Blue Horizons Travel and Tours Inc.
• Budget Travel and Tours Inc.
• Casto Travel Philippines Inc.
• City Travel and Tours Corporation
• Come on Phils. Golf and Travel Agency Inc.
• Constellation Travels Inc.
• First United Travel Inc.
• Getaway Tours International Inc.
• Grand Hope Travel Inc.
• H.I.S. (Philippines) Travel Corp.
• Hanator Manila Inc.
• Hankookceb Corp.
• Horizon Travel and Tours Inc.
• International Journeys Inc.
• Island Resort Club Tour Services Inc.
• JTB Asia Pacific Phil. Corp.
• KP Joeun Consultancy Inc.
• Las Palmas Tours and Travel Agency Inc.
• Marsman Drysdale Travel Inc.
• MNK Travel and Tours Corp.
• North Star International Travel Inc.
• Pan Pacific Travel Corporation
• Party-on Travel and Tour Community Inc.
• Rajah Travel Corporation
• Rakso Air Travel and Tours Inc.
• Reli Tours and Travel Company
• Sharp Travel Service (Phils.) Inc.
• Swire Travel Phils Inc.
• The Baron Travel Corporation
• Travel Pros
• Travelservices Inc.
• Uni-orient Travel Inc.

— Gaea Katreena Cabico