South Korea’s embassy in Beijing has formally asked Chinese cyber-regulators and the National Immigration Administration to remove two websites hosted on a mainland portal that masquerade as official Korean government platforms. The spoof sites charge Chinese users up to 510 yuan (US $70) to complete South Korea’s electronic arrival declaration—a service that is, in reality, free on the Korean Justice Ministry’s website.
Published late on 9 March, the embassy’s statement warns that the fraudulent pages display the Korean flag and phrases such as “Republic of Korea Electronic Entry” to lend credibility, potentially duping the surge of Chinese tourists expected to visit Korea this spring. Embassy officials said the sites were first flagged by a Chinese traveller who lodged a complaint last week, yet they remained live as of Monday night, prompting the request for immediate takedown and investigation.
For Chinese travellers looking for an extra layer of certainty when navigating official entry requirements, VisaHQ provides a vetted portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) that cross-checks government URLs, identifies spoof sites, and offers end-to-end assistance with South Korean visa and arrival formalities—ensuring applications are submitted accurately and without hidden fees.
![Korean Embassy Moves to Shut Down Fake Chinese Websites Charging for Free Arrival Declarations]()
The incident highlights a growing grey market around digital travel documents as mobility rebounds. Since e-arrival and e-visa portals often resemble one another, scammers exploit travellers’ unfamiliarity with official URLs, sometimes harvesting passport data in addition to fees. For Chinese corporates organising incentive trips to Korea, due-diligence checks on web links have become an essential compliance step.
South Korean consular staff in China process roughly 1,000 visa applications a day, and embassy spokespeople acknowledged that rising demand has stretched resources—conditions ripe for third-party opportunists to step in. The embassy has circulated WeChat bulletins and pushed notifications through popular travel-booking apps advising users to verify domain names ending in “.go.kr.”
Global-mobility teams should update employee travel advisories to include the embassy’s verified link and remind staff that South Korea does not require payment for the Q-Code health declaration or the electronic arrival card. Misuse of unofficial intermediaries can lead to data breaches, refused boarding, or denied entry on arrival.
Published late on 9 March, the embassy’s statement warns that the fraudulent pages display the Korean flag and phrases such as “Republic of Korea Electronic Entry” to lend credibility, potentially duping the surge of Chinese tourists expected to visit Korea this spring. Embassy officials said the sites were first flagged by a Chinese traveller who lodged a complaint last week, yet they remained live as of Monday night, prompting the request for immediate takedown and investigation.
For Chinese travellers looking for an extra layer of certainty when navigating official entry requirements, VisaHQ provides a vetted portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) that cross-checks government URLs, identifies spoof sites, and offers end-to-end assistance with South Korean visa and arrival formalities—ensuring applications are submitted accurately and without hidden fees.
The incident highlights a growing grey market around digital travel documents as mobility rebounds. Since e-arrival and e-visa portals often resemble one another, scammers exploit travellers’ unfamiliarity with official URLs, sometimes harvesting passport data in addition to fees. For Chinese corporates organising incentive trips to Korea, due-diligence checks on web links have become an essential compliance step.
South Korean consular staff in China process roughly 1,000 visa applications a day, and embassy spokespeople acknowledged that rising demand has stretched resources—conditions ripe for third-party opportunists to step in. The embassy has circulated WeChat bulletins and pushed notifications through popular travel-booking apps advising users to verify domain names ending in “.go.kr.”
Global-mobility teams should update employee travel advisories to include the embassy’s verified link and remind staff that South Korea does not require payment for the Q-Code health declaration or the electronic arrival card. Misuse of unofficial intermediaries can lead to data breaches, refused boarding, or denied entry on arrival.
