The Republic of Korea welcomed more than 57,200 Vietnamese visitors in the first five months of this year, an increase of 29.8 percent compared with the same period last year, according to Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO) in Vietnam.

In the first half of the year, the number of Vietnamese incentive travelers visiting the RoK through travel agencies' tour packages reached 3,012, a year-on-year increase of 132 percent, KTO said in a press release.

The number of Vietnamese visitors entering the RoK has risen steadily over the last five years, from 76,537 in 2009 to a record high of 114,357 in 2013.

The RoK expects to receive 140,000 Vietnamese travelers by the end of this year.-VNA