ABSTRACT
Travel abroad by Koreans in large numbers is a recent phenomenon. Prior to 1989 the Korean Government prevented its citizens travelling overseas in large numbers by imposing restrictions that included age and travel duration limitations, foreign exchange controls, purpose of trip controls and requirements to lodge large deposits of money (1983, over US$2,500) with government agencies. The aim of this policy was to build up Korean currency reserves. In tandem with this policy, the government fostered domestic tourism by heavily investing in the domestic tourism infra-structure. This policy inadvertently created a taste for tourism that was ultimately to translate into a desire for overseas travel.
