Tourists at Yakcheonsa Temple, the biggest temple in Jeju
SOUTH Korea is considering inviting Chinese police to take part in patrols on Jeju island after a series of incidents involving tourists from China ignited calls from locals for more stringent controls.
On Tuesday, South Korean prosecutors indicted seven Chinese tourists on charges of assaulting a local restaurant owner on September 9.
The 53-year-old victim, who was only identified by her surname, Ahn, had asked the Chinese tourists to leave after they brought their own alcohol into her restaurant and further refused to pay for their food.
The group – five men and two women – then allegedly attacked the woman and three other people who attempted to intervene.
The incident happened one week after a Chinese tourist entered a church on the island and stabbed a 61-year-old local woman to death. In his defence, the man claimed he lost control because the woman reminded him of his former wife.
As a result, the South Korean government has been asked to intervene, with the foreign ministry announcing that stationing Chinese police on Jeju “will be actively discussed”.
The two cases have also triggered backlash from South Korean residents, with some calling for tougher border controls to be introduced and for existing visa waivers to be reviewed.
More than 2,000 locals have reportedly signed a petition calling for visas to be required for visitors from China once again.
South Korea abolished visas for Chinese visitors in 2008, leading to a surge in visitor numbers.
