Jeju Island plans to expedite screening of cruise passengers

The government plans to spend 5.2 billion won ($3.8 million) to set up an automated security screening system next year to expedite the embarking and disembarking process for foreign cruise ship passengers at sea ports on South Korea's southern Jeju Island.

According to Bae Sang-up, commissioner of the Korea Immigration Service under the Ministry of Justice, the automated security checkpoints will be set up by October next year at two ports -- Jeju International Passenger Terminal and Seogwipo Gangjeong Cruise Port.

The screening time for some 3,000 cruise ship passengers at Jeju International Passenger Terminal of about two hours will be reduced by 40 percent with 10 new checkpoints, while the screening time for Seogwipo Gangjeong Cruise Port's 5,000 passengers is to be cut by 55 percent with 28 checkpoints added.

The reduced security screening time "will allow foreign tourists on cruise ships to spend longer time on Jeju Island," Bae said. A visa-free entry policy is in effect on Jeju Island.

Immigration authorities have also been considering other options, such as having immigration officers onboard to expedite passengers' entry to Jeju Island before docking, as a stopgap measure before the automated screening system becomes fully operational.

Bae's remarks came during a public policy dialogue on Tuesday on Jeju Island, presided over by President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Provincial authorities anticipate a total of 304 cruise ships on Jeju Island, carrying over 700,000 travelers, throughout this year.