KTO brings global payment apps to local markets for tourists

The Korea Tourism Organization has launched a project in partnership with overseas payment services -- including WeChat Pay, Alipay and UnionPay -- to make it easier for foreign visitors to make purchases at local small businesses and traditional markets using their smartphones.

According to the KTO, it has teamed up with the Korea Easy Payment Foundation to enable tourists to pay by QR code -- a method commonly used by Koreans at traditional markets and tourist sites as an alternative to cash -- by linking the state-run Zero Pay system to 17 overseas mobile payment services.

The project has distributed a total of 20,000 kits to local vendors, providing the necessary QR codes on stickers, stands and leaflets for customers to scan.

The QR codes linked to overseas payment platforms have been distributed to 65 traditional markets nationwide and 12,000 small businesses on Jeju Island.

These areas, popular among international visitors, previously lacked convenient payment systems for overseas travelers.

Following the launch of the project this year, the KTO plans to expand its collaborations with a range of organizations and companies to improve convenience for inbound tourists.