Foreigners-only casinos in South Korea have taken a hit from Seoul and Beijing's diplomatic row over the deployment of a U.S. THAAD anti-missile system in the country.
Yonhap News cited industry sources as saying China's apparent retaliation over the THAAD installation resulted in a tumble in the number of Chinese tourists to the country.
Casino operator Paradise reported sales of 668 billion won in 2017, retreating nearly 4 percent from the previous year.
Grand Korea Leisure Company's revenue dropped 8.6 percent on-year over the same period to 513 billion won.
Amid a thaw in bilateral relations, China has allowed group tours to South Korea, but is still limiting incentive and cruise tours.
It's widely viewed that unless China fully lifts the ban, local casino operators will face tough times this year as well.■
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