Visa-free entry, short flights fuel surge in weekend trips to China among South Koreans

Kim Ji-soo wrapped up a visit to the coastal city of Qingdao in northern China just last weekend, but she is already contemplating where she will go on her next visit. “It seemed affordable, nearby and I wanted to visit a new city,” said the 57-year-old Seoul resident, who had been to Beijing before. “I enjoyed the food and the vast space the most,” Kim said, adding that the city’s bustling energy – which she attributed in part to the number of newborns and young children with their parents –...