MANILA - South Korea will allow Filipinos visa-free entry until April next year, if they arrive through its airport near the venue of the 2018 Winter Olympics, the official Yonhap news agency said.

Aside from the Philippines, South Korea also gave Indonesia and Vietnam visa-free privileges as long as they enter through YangYang airport near Pyeongchang, which is hosting the quadrennial games, Yonhap said.

• Olympics ready but will they come? South Korea counts down to Winter Games

There are no direct commercial flights from the Philippines to YangYang. Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines offer flights to Busan and Incheon.

Tourism in South Korea had struggled for several months due to a standoff with China over the deployment of a US anti-missile system as it sought to counter the threat from the North.

• Beijing's new weapon in economic war: Chinese tourists

• Filipinos in South Korea told: Be prepared amid tensions

According to the Yonhap report, South Korea also extended the waiver on the $15 visa fee for Chinese tourists with electronic passports to the end of next year from the end of this year.

With Reuters

• 5 reasons to visit Jeju, your visa-free gateway to beautiful Korea