China's Embassy in South Korea Strongly Opposes Using Chinese Tourists as Casino Growth Engine

China's embassy in South Korea has strongly objected to recent media suggestions that Chinese tourists should be considered a primary growth driver for the nation's casino industry. The embassy expressed deep shock and firm opposition to this notion, highlighting concerns about the negative social impacts of gambling.

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We are deeply shocked by this and firmly oppose it.

In a statement shared on its official WeChat account, Counselor Tang Liang, who oversees consular affairs and overseas Chinese communities, argued that gambling severely undermines social order and the rule of law. He pointed out that South Korea itself restricts its citizens' access to casinos, recognizing the societal damage gambling can cause. China, he added, also adheres to a strict zero-tolerance policy on gambling, with participation by its citizens abroad being illegal.

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Gambling is an act that severely undermines social order and the rule of law, a fact widely recognized by the international community.

The embassy criticized some casinos for aggressively marketing to Chinese nationals and promoting this as an economic growth strategy, deeming it highly inappropriate. This stance contrasts with recent high-level discussions between the leaders of China and South Korea, which focused on expanding healthy cultural exchanges. Counselor Tang emphasized that the casino industry does not align with the spirit of these exchanges, especially as judicial authorities cooperate to combat cross-border gambling crimes.

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South Korea also strictly limits its own citizens' access to casinos, as it is well aware of the social harms of gambling.

Furthermore, the embassy cited a pattern of negative incidents involving Chinese citizens in South Korean casinos, including the tragic case of a Chinese student who died by suicide due to overwhelming gambling debts. Such issues, the embassy warned, harm not only Chinese citizens' lives and property but also the order of the South Korean tourism market and the country's image. The embassy pledged to strengthen gambling prevention education for its citizens and urged South Korean authorities to rigorously supervise casino operations and eradicate any encouragement of gambling directed at Chinese tourists.

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Some casinos actively market to Chinese people and promote this as a growth engine for the economy, which is highly inappropriate.