The expected numbers of Chinese visitors to the 2002 World Cup finals has been hit by a major setback it was reported Friday with fans giving up on traveling for financial reasons, especially the large "deposit" they have been asked to pay. Travel agencies dealing with China have demanded all visitors traveling to the country for the event pay a high deposit, to counter fines of W500,000 per person and other sanctions that are imposed on them if their clients overstay their visas and become illegal immigrants. As well as fines, the government also suspends visa issuance for these companies and their license to operate.

According to an exclusive Korea-China travel agency "C" Friday, representative offices on the mainland take guaranty money from travelers, though the amount differs from individual to individual and province to province. "C" had been charging Beijing residents 30,000 yuan or W4.8 million deposits up to last month, but has virtually doubled it to 50,000 yuan or W8 million since the beginning of May.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism said it could do nothing, as it was a business matter for the travel agencies not the Chinese government. A tourism industry watcher pointed out that only the rich should be able to get a visa, noting that unless some countermeasures are proposed the expected influx of Chinese visitors will disappear.

(Kim Seung-beom, sbkim@chosun.com )