Fans from around the world are flocking to South Korea ahead of BTS's Busan concert, leaving Incheon International Airport, Gimhae International Airport and the Port of Busan busy. The Ministry of Justice has launched special measures, including a significant increase in screening staff at major points of entry, in preparation for the rising number of foreign visitors.
The Ministry of Justice said Tuesday that it is implementing special immigration screening measures from June 10 to June 14 to improve convenience for foreign visitors entering the country to attend the BTS concert.
The measures were prepared ahead of the BTS performance held June 12-13 at Busan Asiad Main Stadium. The ministry estimates that about 50,000 foreigners will visit Korea to attend the concert.
Foreign fans have been streaming into Incheon Airport's arrivals hall. On June 10, more than 40,000 foreigners entered the country through Incheon Airport. That is nearly double the usual daily average of about 20,000. On June 13, foreign arrivals are expected to approach 50,000.
The ministry's Incheon Airport Immigration Office projected foreign arrivals at Incheon Airport to reach 48,663 on June 11, 48,154 on June 12 and 49,330 on June 13. Authorities believe a significant portion of these are fans visiting Korea to see the BTS performance.
Although the venue is in Busan, many foreign fans are entering through Incheon Airport, which offers a much wider range of international routes than Gimhae Airport. While Gimhae Airport has around 100 international arrival flights per day, Incheon Airport has more than 500. After entering the country, fans are traveling to Busan by KTX or chartered buses.
The Ministry of Justice is operating the special measures through four agencies: the Incheon Airport Immigration Office, the Busan Immigration Office, the Gimhae Airport Immigration Office and the Gimpo Airport Immigration Office. It plans to deploy an additional 140 staff at Incheon Airport, 8 at Gimhae Airport, 7 at Gimpo Airport and 3 at the Port of Busan to support immigration screening.
In particular, Incheon Airport is expanding its immigration screening staff by up to 88 percent above normal levels through early arrivals and extended shifts. An emergency duty team made up of employees from non-screening departments will also support screening work during night and peak hours.
The Ministry of Justice plans to monitor immigration status by airport and flight in real time to respond to congestion. It plans to minimize waiting times by deploying additional guidance staff and monitoring foreign arrival trends in advance.
Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho said, "We will concentrate screening personnel and equipment so that K-pop fans from around the world visiting Korea can feel speed and convenience, and we will pay close attention to ensure there are no inconveniences during the immigration process." He added, "We will also work to contribute to revitalizing the regional economy and improving the nation's image."
An official from Incheon International Airport Corporation also said, "We will do our best to support entry and exit services so that BTS's foreign fans can safely enjoy the performance and return home."
Meanwhile, the number of foreigners who entered the country through Incheon Airport from January to May this year was tallied at about 9 million. That is up 20.4 percent from about 7.4 million during the same period last year. In particular, the increase in visitors from major countries including Taiwan was notable.
