Taiwan, Korea eye 4m visitor goal at Kenting tourism conference

Taiwan, Korea eye 4m visitor goal at Kenting tourism conference

2026-06-15

The charm of Korean dramas attracts no small number of tourists from Taiwan, but what are Taiwan’s charms to attract Korean visitors? Figuring out how to balance the scales is an important question for Taiwan’s tourism industry. The 39th Taiwan-Korea Tourism Exchange Conference was held recently in Kenting, bringing together 200 tourism industry leaders from both sides. They also visited major attractions, hoping to boost two-way visitor numbers to a balanced 4 million.

At the 39th Taiwan-Korea Tourism Exchange Conference, Tourism Administration Deputy Director-General Huang Shih-fang and Taiwan Visitors’ Association chair Chien Yu-yen exchanged views with industry, government, and academic leaders from South Korea.

Huang Shih-fang
Tourism Administration deputy director-general
In Taipei, you can see South Korean visitors everywhere. By hosting the conference in Pingtung this time, we hope to draw tourism to the south. I believe Pingtung has many local features that are unique from our urban areas.

Chou Chun-mi
Pingtung County Commissioner
In the past few years, the number of visitors between Taiwan and Korea has hit new highs. Many of our friends from Korea love Taiwan’s vibe. In Pingtung, they appreciate the maritime and Indigenous cultures.

While Korean culture has swept the globe in recent years, Taiwan has become a favored destination for Korean tourists. In 2025, mutual visits between Taiwan and Korea reached 2.85 million, with over 1.01 million Koreans coming to Taiwan. This year, they hope to exceed the 3 million mark, and are setting their sights on 4 million next year.

Chien Yu-yen
Taiwan Visitors’ Association chair
We want more of our Korean friends to experience Taiwan’s nature and small towns. They love the vibe of Taiwan’s small alleys. Last night, we took the participants to Kenting’s main street and ran into some Korean tourists. Some people are even already eyeing the goal of 4 million mutual visits.

In addition to sitting in seminars, the participants also got to visit some of Pingtung’s attractions like the aquarium and Eluanbi lighthouse. Both sides hope that their continued cooperation will keep pushing tourism numbers to historic highs.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#tourism #TaiwanKorea #Pingtung #Kenting #travelindustry #internationalexchange #Koreantourists

屏東墾丁台韓觀光交流會攜手力拚均衡互訪400萬人次

2026-06-15

韓劇的魅力吸引不少台灣觀光客，而台灣的魅力在哪裡，如何吸引韓國民眾來台灣旅遊，平衡交流也是重要課題。第39屆台韓觀光交流會議最近在屏東墾丁舉行，不僅匯集雙方共200位政要及觀光業意見領袖，也走訪各大景點，期望攜手力拼均衡互訪400萬人次。

第39屆台韓觀光交流會議，觀光署副署長黃勢芳，以及台灣觀光協會會長簡余晏領軍，與來自韓國旅行業產官學界進行交流。

[[交通部觀光署副署長黃勢芳]]
“台北的部分事實上可以隨處看到，就是有韓國人來訪，所以我們藉由這次，在屏東辦的部分，希望把這個相關的遊客，可以到南部來，那我想，我們屏東有很多的一個在地特色，跟我們都市的話是不一樣的。”

[[屏東縣長周春米]]
“台灣跟韓國近年來，我們的互訪人數屢創新高喔，那也很多很多韓國的朋友，喜歡台灣感性，那也來到屏東，有充分的享受到我們的海洋、部落文化。”

近年來韓國文化席捲全球，而台灣也成為韓國旅客喜愛的旅遊地點，2025年台韓互訪達285萬人次，韓國來台旅客則超過101萬人次，今年台韓互訪人次預計超過300萬，台韓雙方更放眼明年目標，要一舉衝破四百萬。

[[台灣觀光協會會長簡余晏]]
“讓更多的韓國朋友，體會台灣的山海小鎮，而且他們很喜歡我們巷弄之間的台灣感性，昨天晚上我們帶著韓國的朋友來到墾丁大街，就有遇到韓國觀光客了。已經開始有韓國客喊出了，400萬互訪人次。”

不僅室內交流座談，韓國代表團也走訪屏東景點，像是海生館、鵝鑾鼻燈塔步道等，感受屏東魅力，雙方期盼透過彼此持續合作交流，讓觀光互訪人次再創歷史新高。

更多新聞內容，請鎖定：
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民視新聞台（53頻道）週二至週六凌晨1:00

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Volunteers build bridge in Chiayi without disrupting water supply to key businesses

Well-known for its good deeds, the Chiayi Charitable Organization mobilizes hundreds of volunteers on the weekends to repair bridges and pave roads. They arrive on packed tour buses from around the country, working together to improve community infrastructure. This time, they built a bridge in Chiayi’s Shuishang. Since it runs over the vital Chianan Canal, to avoid interfering with the Chiayi Science Park, for the first time, they used a significantly more difficult method that doesn’t disrupt the flow of water.

Workers pour concrete from an excavator, while scores of volunteers work together to haul dirt and rocks. This time, the renowned Chiayi Charitable Organization has brought over 200 volunteers to Chiayi’s Shuishang to build a new bridge.

Volunteer
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We’re here to build a bridge! We’re great friends. If he goes, I go. We’ve been doing this from the very beginning until now. Don’t think about what you’ll get out of it. As long as you’re happy, that’s what matters.

Volunteer
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It’s fun! It’s like we’re benefiting from the good deeds of the charity, getting to travel around and see nice places.

Some of the volunteers are nearly 90 years old, yet still show up to help out. For this project, the bridge goes over the Chianan Canal. To make repairs in the past, they had to stop the flow of water. But this time, to avoid disrupting operations at the Chiayi Science Park and construction of a new TSMC fab, for the first time, the organization tried out a much more difficult method.

Tsai Kun-chang
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Stopping the flow would mean companies like TSMC and Formosa Chemicals wouldn’t have any water to use, resulting in huge losses. So this time, we did our best to avoid that.

Cheng Hsiu-yu
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We usually work on the weekends, but since the Labor Standards Act now says you can’t ship materials on Sundays, we’ve switched to Saturdays.

Whether donating money or getting their hands dirty, these volunteers will traipse across the country to pave the way forward for Taiwan’s small communities.

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Yilan residents spooked by aircrafts conducting land surveys

Local residents in Yilan have been panicking over the sight of aircrafts hovering close to the ground recently. More precisely, at less than 300m above ground. Some people even joked that the aircrafts may have been carrying out a reconnaissance mission. On Monday, the county government clarified, after consulting with the central government, that the aircrafts were conducting land surveys.

Two lightweight aircrafts hover in the air, their loud noises attracting Yilan locals’ attention. It’s a curious sight indeed, in a town without an airport. What’s more, it’s flying quite close to the ground, at around 200m to 300m above, over Dongshan, Luodong and Jiaoxi, making onlookers nervous.

- Aircrafts must fly above a certain limit from the ground. If it’s flying too close, the public may worry that it might crash.
- Even more so in crowded areas.
- Yes, it would make people nervous.

Member of public
Local resident
It’s rare to see this kind of lightweight aircraft. There isn’t an airport in Yilan, so it’s quite surprising to see a lightweight aircraft. It’s really not flying high above the ground.

The planes have caught the attention of netizens online. One commented that they’re ultralight aircrafts, while another joked that the aircrafts are on a reconnaissance mission. One knowledgeable commenter identified the aircrafts as the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, which the government deploys for aeriel photography, 3D topographic laser scanning, and GIS data capture.

Huang Chih-liang
Yilan County Transportation Department
We’ve confirmed with the transport ministry’s Civil Aviation Administration that the aircrafts are operated by RealWorld Aviation Corporation, which is commissioned to conduct national land surveying and mapping. Subsequently, we’ve asked the Civil Aviation Administration and other central government agencies to give local governments an early notice should they plan to conduct such missions, so that local governments could communicate with residents accordingly.

Turns out the aircrafts are for land surveying, only the local Yilan government wasn’t notified. The county government urges central authorities to notify locals in advance, to prevent public panic.

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Joss paper piles up at Tainan incinerator

Spirit money has piled up at a Tainan incinerator after the Qingming Festival. These offerings are commonly burned during festivals to honor ancestors, but incinerators are struggling to keep up with the city government’s centralized burning policy. City councilors said supporting measures have fallen short, but the Tainan Environmental Protection Bureau said over 60% of the paper money has already been burned, and they expect to finish by the end of June.

Spirit money is piled all the way up to the ceiling, completely blocking the wall. On the other side of the facility, there are two more mountains.

On top of the mountains, there are burlap sacks full of even more joss paper. This is an incinerator in Tainan’s Annan District which collected massive amounts of spirit money over the Lunar New Year and Qingming Festival, when people burn them as offerings to ancestors. But this paper is still sitting here, yet to be burned.

Member of public
Finds it unreasonable
I think it’s unreasonable. It makes more sense to burn it within a week.

Member of public
Considering situation
The money from the Qingming Festival is left until Lunar New Year, and we don’t know how to explain this to our ancestors.

Lin Yen-chu
Tainan City Councilor (KMT)
We burn about 2,000 tons a year. Now Ghost Month is coming, and our brothers are only out for a month, but they won’t even have any money when they go back.

The Environmental Protection Bureau said the massive amount of joss paper has caused delays in burning it all. In addition to reducing the amount, the bureau said it would promote constructing incinerators at major temples to decentralize processing.

Huang Jen-wei
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During the Qingming Festival, about 373 tons of paper money were collected and sent to dedicated incinerators. More than 60% has already been processed. The bureau’s incinerator still has about 150 tons in storage, and it’s expected to be fully incinerated by the end of June.

With the Ghost Festival approaching, authorities are reminding people that sincerity is most important in worship. People can burn less joss paper and donate the equivalent value instead, which would reduce air pollution and ease pressure on incineration facilities, while still honoring traditional beliefs.

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Famous ‘Palace’ unit sells for NT$650m after 9 years

After nine long years on the market, Taipei’s most infamous unit in “The Palace” has finally sold! After turning up empty-handed across multiple listing cycles, a buyer has finally stepped forward, paying down NT$650 million in cash for the property. But who has this kind of purchasing power? Let’s find out...

Chen Meng-hsuan
FTV reporter
The iconic “Palace” mansion on Renai Road is home to celebrity host Dee Hsu, along with many other political and business elites. The unit on the 21st floor of Building D, known as the “legendary Palace unit,” has finally found a new owner after nine years on the market.

Formerly the most expensive unit in the complex, the property boasts a huge living room that easily accommodates three sofas with space left over for a grand piano. The dining room has a 10-person table, while in the master suite, the walk-in closet alone is 10 ping. Formed by joining two units and with four parking spaces, the floor area is a massive 316 ping, or 1,045 square meters. It was finally sold to a private individual from Hualien surnamed Hsieh for NT$650 million.

Huang Shu-wei
Real-estate expert
The orientation is excellent, right at the center. Both the layout and finishes are top-of-the-line. But since luxury home mortgages in Taiwan are capped at 30% financing, any prospective buyer would need a lot of leverage, so the turnover for this property was low compared to the broader market.

Even though it closed for NT$120 million less than the previous owner, it’s still a premium over other luxury properties. The latest filings show that this 20-year-old unit, which underwent extensive renovations by the previous owner, socialite Lu Sheng-wen, officially transferred ownership in May. And the buyer didn’t take out a mortgage, choosing instead to pay in cash.

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The individuals who buy luxury properties are either planning to live there, or are diversifying their assets. Therefore, they have strong pools of liquid capital and don’t have much need for a loan.

After going on the market many times over the past decade, the unit has finally found a new owner. But since the closing price was revised downward, its cost has slipped from a high of NT$2.9 million per ping, to NT$2.2 million, proving that “The Palace” isn’t what it used to be.

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Diver retrieves phone from ocean, still working after day underwater

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A fully equipped diver searches through the murky seabed. Before long, they find what they’re looking for.

An iPhone 15 lies right there in the mud at the bottom of the ocean. The diver lets out a gasp as he picks up the phone, then exclaims in surprise as the screen lights up like normal.

The phone’s owner was a tourist who came to Penghu’s Caiyuan Harbor to fish. When they went out to sea a few days ago, they accidentally dropped their phone into the water. But they didn’t give up hope, and contacted a local diving business for help. The instructor figured it wouldn’t be difficult to find, as the ocean isn’t very deep in that area. But to his surprise, the visibility was so bad he could barely see his own hand.

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The depth was about 5 meters and visibility was around 0.2 meters. I looked for nearly 10 minutes. It was nearby, but still took 10 minutes of searching.

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The iPhone 15 has an IP68 water resistance rating, meaning it can last for up to 30 minutes in water up to 6 meters deep. But surviving an entire day on the muddy ocean floor is another matter entirely, amazing even the professionals.

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Debris avalanches halt traffic in Nantou amid persistent rain

Persistent heavy rain over the weekend has now caused severe landslides in the mountainous Renai Township in Nantou. Debris avalanches have descended upon the 18.2km and 36.5km marks of Nantou County Road No. 89 on Sunday, obstructing traffic. Drivers passing by had had to turn back in haste. The township mayor said that as of Monday, the 36.5km mark has been cleared. However, the public is urged to refrain from traveling in the mountains before the rain stops.

There seems to be no end to the heavy rain, and neither to the debris avalanche it caused.

- It’s probably becoming a dead end in a second.

Drivers rush to turn back as the landslide comes rushing toward the road surface.

- Scary. The landslide is still sliding.

The passer-by exclaims in shock at the sight. Past 2 p.m. Sunday, a debris avalanche descended upon the 18.2km mark of Nantou County Road No. 89 in Renai Township, obstructing traffic. The same happened at another segment of the road.

Voice of Chiang Tzu-hsin
Renai Township Mayor
The 36.5km and 18.2km marks got covered in landslide yesterday in the afternoon and the evening, which obstructed traffic. They’re being cleared as quickly as possible at the moment.

Renai Township had the highest 24-hour accumulated rainfall in Nantou this rainy spell, which was caused by a lingering front. Many roads in the mountainous area had fallen rocks and trees. The obstruction was the heaviest on Nantou County Road No. 89, also known as Lixing Industry Road.

Voice of Chiang Tzu-hsin
Renai Township Mayor
The 36.5km mark has been cleared. The 18.2km mark is more heavily obstructed. We’ve asked the county government’s contractor to report back, and they said it’ll only be cleared at around noon.

Because the head scarp of the landslide on the 18.2km mark was higher, plus it’s still raining, clearing can only begin when the rain becomes lighter. The Renai Township office urges drivers to take a detour and avoid heading into the mountains.

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Pingtung resident donates property to protect viral ‘Moai statue’ tree

In Pingtung’s Jiadong Township, there’s a century-old bishop wood tree that has become popular as a photo spot for its resemblance to an Easter Island Moai statue. One Kaohsiung local was so enchanted by the tree that they bought the home right next to it. But since the surrounding roads are narrow, it’s been hit twice by motorists. To protect the tree, the homeowner agreed to move their wall back by a meter to straighten out the road, protecting both the tree and drivers.

In the small village of Shiguangjian in Pingtung’s Jiadong Township stands a century-old bishop wood tree. It’s not just a landmark for the locals, who have grown up alongside this iconic tree. Now it’s also a popular photo destination, since it looks just like an Easter Island Moai statue.

- The nose is very similar, don’t you think? And the eyes.

One person from Kaohsiung was so taken with the tree that she bought the house right next door to be her neighbor in retirement. But since the road surrounding the tree was less than 3 meters wide, it was hit twice by passing motorists. To protect it, the homeowner decided to donate some of her land.

- It used to be here, around here. She moved it back here. The road is wide now. There shouldn’t be as many accidents.

Voice of Ms. Yang
Homeowner
The road is meant for people to use. If it makes things easier on everyone else, it’s easier for me too. Besides, if someone hits the tree and it needs to be replanted, it wouldn’t grow back the same.

The road around the tree sees a lot of traffic since it’s near the local swimming pool. By volunteering to move her wall back by a meter, Ms. Yang gave up her own property to straighten the path. Now it’s about 4.5 meters wide, protecting both the tree and motorists.

Lai Wen-yi
Jiadong Township Mayor
We moved the utility poles to the opposite side and laid a fresh layer of asphalt thanks to the efforts of everyone here.

Local resident
Jiadong
It’s great. Protecting the tree like this is wonderful. It has history. We shouldn’t let it be destroyed.

The township office is currently drafting plans to promote the tree along with other nearby tourist attractions. Thanks to the generous neighbor who recognized the benefit to donating her land, this story proves that a little community spirit can go a long way.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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