According to the WeChat public account "Chinese Consulate General in Jeju", on October 27, the mainstream media in the consulate area, "Jeemin Daily News", published a statement from the spokesperson of the Consulate General in Jeju responding to journalists' questions regarding cross-border gambling. The full text is as follows:
Gambling seriously undermines social rule of law and corrupts public order and good customs. This is a common understanding among the international community. Korean law strictly restricts citizens from participating in gambling, while Chinese law has a policy of "zero tolerance" towards gambling. Even if casinos are legally established abroad, Chinese citizens engaging in gambling across borders or organizing others to participate in gambling are considered violations of Chinese law.
China and South Korea share close geographical proximity, cultural similarities, and strong human connections. Since their diplomatic relations were established in 1992, practical cooperation in various fields has developed rapidly between the two countries. Jeju plays a unique and important role in China-South Korea friendly exchanges, becoming a popular destination for many Chinese tourists. By 2025, nearly 1.9 million Chinese tourists will visit Jeju, including those from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. Frequent exchanges of people have effectively promoted cultural exchanges between Jeju and China, further strengthening Jeju's confidence in carrying out tourism cooperation with China. However, our embassy has received complaints from Chinese tourists claiming that "black agents" are using Chinese social platforms to promote illegal activities, and then using private messages to recruit Chinese tourists to Jeju for gambling. We firmly oppose such practices.
At the end of last year and the beginning of this year, the heads of state of China and South Korea successfully visited each other, reaching an important consensus on promoting healthy and beneficial cultural exchanges. As important neighbors, both countries have introduced visa facilitation measures to promote mutual travel between their citizens. By boosting the tourism industry, this is in line with the fundamental interests of both countries and also helps to enhance understanding and friendship between their people. We hope that South Korean authorities will take into consideration the long-term development of Jeju's tourism industry and the overall situation of cultural exchanges between China and South Korea. They should earnestly fulfill their regulatory responsibilities, strictly regulate casino operations, prevent any gambling activities targeting Chinese tourists, and maintain Jeju's good reputation as a "Island of Peace" and a "Tourism Capital." We also believe that Jeju can use tourism as a medium to comprehensively expand exchanges and cooperation with China, enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, and becoming a leader in local exchanges and cooperation with China.
