SEOUL -- South Korea will grant visa-free entry to Chinese group tourists for nine months beginning in late September as part of efforts to boost local tourism, the prime minister's office said Wednesday.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok presided over a meeting to revitalize domestic tourism, deciding to allow Chinese group tourists to be exempted from visas from Sept 29 this year to June 30 next year.

The prime minister's office expected the visa-free policy to bolster domestic demand by boosting additional demand to visit the Asian country, with the local tourism market recovering rapidly.

Chinese Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Dai Bing said on social media on Wednesday that the decision is good news for Chinese travelers visiting South Korea. China has unilaterally granted visa-free entry to South Korean citizens since November last year, and data showed that people-to-people exchanges between China and South Korea have since grown rapidly.

"As close neighbors, frequent exchanges between the two peoples help enhance mutual understanding and deepen friendship," Dai said.