The Korea Tourism Organization is receiving applications to join K-Friends, its online team of online supporters.

With in-person marketing almost impossible these days due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the KTO hopes to attract tourists to Korea through contactless promotions, according to the KTO.

Application is open to foreign nationals with more than 100 social media followers. The organization hopes to gather 10,000 supporters this year, 50,000 by 2023, and 100,000 by 2025.

The participants will be matched with one of KTO’s 32 overseas offices around the world. They will share social media promotional content provided by the KTO, encouraging traveling to Korea.

A total of 10,000 participants will receive a welcome kit on a first come, first served basis. Each participant will receive a K-Heritage Card which allows free admission to the four royal palaces in Seoul and tourist sites on Jeju Island.

“Through cooperation with related institutions such as Korean language centers and the King Sejong Institute Foundation, K-Friends will be a national promotion model of Korean tourism,” said the KTO director of international tourism department.

The applications opened Tuesday. Visit www.k-friends.net to apply. The KTO will hold a virtual global launch event on Nov.21.

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)