Foreign tourists on March 28 look around Seogeodang Hall at Deoksugung Palace in Seoul. (Lee Jung-woo)

By Kang Gahui

The Seoul Metropolitan Government, following the lead of Gyeonggi-do Province, has launched travel insurance for foreign tourists. 

The city on March 31 announced the launch in April of support for such insurance to international visitors on group tours.

The project targets group tourists from abroad who book their trips through domestic travel agencies and travelers on a stopover at Incheon International Airport who visit Seoul for over 24 hours.

Under the policy, the city pays up to KRW 5,000 per foreign tourist so that they are covered.

Death or disability due to injury is covered up to KRW 100 million or that due to illness KRW 20 million. Coverage also includes compensation liability (KRW 20 million) and damage to personal belongings (KRW 300,000).

Domestic or international travel agencies or foreign tourists interested in this insurance can call its customer service center (822-1833-9608).

On March 20, the Gyeonggi-do government on March 20 became the nation's first local government unit to launch such insurance in cooperation with the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization. Foreign visitors to the province are automatically subscribed to the policy without a separate application process.

Coverage of the Gyeonggi-do insurance includes medical treatment of injuries (up to KRW 1 million), disaster relief compensation (KRW 300,000) and injury diagnosis (KRW 100,000). More information is available through the insurance's call center (822-2078-4540).

kgh89@korea.kr