world
Chinese Tourists Shop in Seoul as Won Weakens Against Yuan
Chelsea Wang and friends focused on duty-free shopping during a late April trip. One companion purchased a Chaumet ring for 37,000 yuan after discounts and refunds. Exchange rates boosted purchasing power compared with January levels.
South China Morning PostAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
Chinese tourists traveled to Seoul in late April 2026 for shopping rather than sightseeing, South China Morning Post reported. Chelsea Wang and two friends spent their three-and-a-half-day visit on duty-free purchases, beauty treatments, hair salons and cosmetics stores.
Wang planned to buy a backpack estimated at least 500 yuan cheaper than in China along with a bottle of perfume at a similar discount.
One companion, identified as Wu, a 28-year-old white-collar worker preparing for marriage, bought a Chaumet wedding ring at Lotte Duty Free in Seoul’s Myeong-dong neighborhood. The ring cost about 37,000 yuan after discounts, tax refunds and exchange rates, or roughly 11,000 yuan less than the price in China. “It was really quite a good deal,” Wu said.
The purchases occurred while the Korean won remained weak against the yuan. One yuan bought an average of 226 won in June 2026, up from 209 won in January, according to exchange-rate data cited by South China Morning Post.
Transparency
How sources framed this
Single source — no framing comparison available.
CorroborationModerate · 1 source
/blackrock_etfs-5bfc3c2a46e0fb005149212e.jpg)
