The news that 15 Chinese tourists were missing earlier this week in the Republic of Korea (ROK) has jolted diehard Chinese soccer fans eager to cheer on the national team's first journey to the World Cup finals, which will take place next month.

Many say they are worried the incident, which they suspect is a case of illegal migration, may lead to toughened regulations on visa applications and entry into the ROK, which is co-hosting the gala event with Japan.

As of Thursday, ROK police were still conducting an extensive hunt for the 13 men and two women, after they disappeared on Sunday from a hotel in Incheon city, 28 kilometres west of Seoul, local media reported.

The group left for the ROK last Friday on a five-day package tour.

Officials from the Chinese Embassy in Seoul could not be reached for comment on the matter yesterday.

The Korean police did not disclose the name of the Chinese travel agency that booked the tour, but they said the manager will be questioned.

This event followed another incident where 43 Chinese tourists suspected of immigrating illegally to the ROK disappeared on March 15 after passing the immigration bureau at the Incheon Airport. Their whereabouts are still unknown.

Twenty-three other Chinese who arrived in Incheon that same day were also missing, but they were later found and have since returned to China.

But contrary to fears that these events could harm genuine Chinese tourists to the country, ROK officials said yesterday that the procedure for tourists entering the country will be more simplified as customers from China have become a driving force in local tourism.

Keum Qi-hyung, deputy director of the International Division of the ROK Ministry of Culture & Tourism, said his department has co-ordinated with officials to facilitate entry of Chinese tourists.

"We have agreed that the visa procedures for Chinese tourists should be faster," Keum said.

An upgraded policy will be available in the next couple of days, he added.

Last year, about 480,000 Chinese citizens visited the ROK, up 8.9 percent from the previous year.

Each Chinese visitor spent about 8,000 to 10,000 yuan (US$960 to 1,200) during their tour, according to sources from the Korea National Tourism Organization's Beijing Office.

The number of Chinese tourists is expected to increase to about 600,000 this year, showing a 25-per cent increase, Keum said.

About 25,000 Chinese visitors are expected to fly to the ROK in June alone for the soccer extravaganza, he added.

Tourism is pushing ROK's economic revival as the industrialized nation recovers from wounds inflicted by the Asian financial crisis in 1997.

Chinese travel agencies are scrambling to woo soccer fans on package tours. Business operators said in response to the missing tourists, they will strengthen checks on the identities of tour applicants.

A manager from the Shanghai Spring International Travel Service said they have received 700 applications and all the hopefuls will be scrutinized closely.

( People's Daily May 17, 2002)