"Can I go to Korea?" "Cold Wind" that started blowing in Myeongdong.

[Anchor]
There is growing concern that the number of foreigners visiting Korea may decrease due to unstable political situation.

The aftermath is already being felt in commercial areas such as Myeong-dong, Seoul, which is frequently visited by foreign tourists.

The tourism industry is watching the situation closely amid tension, as foreign tourists fell 23% during the impeachment of President Park Geun Hye.

Reporter Oh Dong-gun reports.

[Reporter]
Myeong-dong Street in Seoul, which is frequently visited by foreign tourists.

I talk about the fear I felt after hearing the emergency martial law news.

[Adam Obern / Irish tourist] I heard about emergency martial law over the weekend. I was so scared to get off the plane.]

Damage such as massive cancellation of travel bookings is yet to be seen, but
The aftermath is already being felt in the business district of Myeong-dong,
.

[Kim Eunhee / Myeongdong Restaurant Owner: After the martial law was declared, the number of tourists coming from nearby Japan or China has definitely decreased.]

As the impeachment of Park Geun Hye's president in the past continued until the first half of 2017, the number of foreign tourists fell by nearly 23%.

If the situation worsens, governments may designate South Korea as a "travel-avoidance country" at any time.

The UK has already advised against travel to South Korea, and New Zealand is closely watching the situation, including raising the level of travel caution

[William Mans / U.S. tourist] There was a little bit. The U.S. government wanted us to sign that anything could happen to us.]

The red light was also turned on for Koreans' overseas trips.

December and January, when winter vacation and Lunar New Year holidays are in full swing, are the peak travel season, but the won's value declines and the exchange rate continues to rise, forcing the burden to increase.

The same goes for those preparing to travel abroad

[Mr. A / Suyu-dong, Seoul: I'm going on a business trip to Germany. I'm wondering if I can go next year or not because of the exchange rate right now.

If the impeachment is prolonged, the impact on the industry, such as a decrease in tourists and unstable exchange rates, is expected to be significant.

This is YTN Oh Dong-gun.

Reporter for shooting
: Kang Young-kwan
Design: Jeon Whee Lin