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Re: visa requirements (US citizens)

2004-01-28 12:58:33
At 11:08 AM -0800 01/28/2004, Paul Hoffman / IMC wrote:
At 10:46 AM -0800 1/28/04, Kevin C. Almeroth wrote:
The Korean embassy page that is linked to from the IETF meetings page
(<http://www.koreaembassy.org/visiting/eng_visas.cfm>) makes it
pretty darn clear that US folks should get a visa. They do have a
link from that page saying how wonderful US-Korea relations are, of
course.

What part are you reading that says this?

"# You may enter Korea without a visa for a stay up to 30 days
or less for tourism, visiting, or transit to another country when
carrying a valid US passport."

Seems to me to pretty clear that a visa is not needed.

I am not a lawyer, but I don't think attending a professional meeting is 
either "tourism", "visiting", or "transit to another country". YMMV.

Nor am I a lawyer.  I have heard several times, though, that "visiting" 
includes meetings of
this type, since attendees are not being paid by a Korean company for work and 
are
not expected to sell goods or services to Korean companies while there.  I took 
away
from that the idea that "if your economic interaction with Korea while there is
only that of 'consumer', you are visiting".

Again, I am not a lawyer, and I suggest only that there may be a different view.
                                regards,
                                        Ted Hardie