This study aims at examining the civilian relationship between Korea and China & South East Asia by analyzing the Korean wave culture and at contributing to the practical tourism policy to promote mutual exchange between the two countries by analy... This study aims at examining the civilian relationship between Korea and China & South East Asia by analyzing the Korean wave culture and at contributing to the practical tourism policy to promote mutual exchange between the two countries by analyzing theoretical backgrounds and influence of cultural proximity. By examining cultural proximity and its subordinate concepts, the concept of cultural proximity could further be clarified. On the basis of the deducted components of cultural proximity, this study provides reference for Chinese tourism policy by understanding the Korean behavioral intention of the national and touristic image of China, which is the biggest Korean drama importer, and by analysing the specialties and styles of tourism. This study verifies the hypothesis by conducting a survey on the behavior of Koreans on Chinese tourism and the national image of China that Koreans hold. The method of the verification of the hypothesis is to set the cultural proximity as independent variable and to clarify the structural relation of the behavioral intention and the touristic sight image as the national image as components of the public diplomacy and of marketing-mix. This study was conducted with a critical mind on how the concept of cultural proximity is displayed as dependent variable when met with the parameter of national and tourist sight image. Previous study confirmed that subordinate concept of cultural proximity can be categorized as linguistic competence, emotional attraction, cultural similarity, and geographical proximity. Based on previous research, the research model set these subordinate concepts of cultural proximity as four independent variables to prove what kind of behavior intention could expressed when the concepts pass through the filter of the national image and tourist destination image. This study was conducted through a survey for the general public in Korea. First, 60 questionnaires were distributed from June, 15 to 20, 2016 and 50 of them were collected to conduct a sample survey for the purpose of preliminary verification of availability. An actual surveys, 1,300 questionnaires, was distributed form July 7 to August 31, 2016 and 976 copies of useful data are used in this research among collected 1,050 copies. Analysis method is frequency analysis, factor analysis, reliability analysis and correlation analysis using SPSS 22.0 and structural equation model analysis using AMOS 22.0. The results of this study are summarized as follows: First, the higher the cultural proximity, the higher the national image and tourist destination image. However, only the tourist destination image affects the behavioral intention positively and the national image has no significant effect. On the other hand, the cultural proximity has a direct and indirect effect on behavioral intention, and tourist destination image plays a significant mediating role between cultural proximity and behavioral intention. Particularly, the development of emerging cities with modern senses and modern and sophisticated tourist sites along with modern senses of China are the main tourist attractions for Koreans to visit China. The main theoretical implications of this study are as follows: First, this study does not surveyed Korean visitors, but rather is about how the cultural proximity between China and Korea is reflected in the behavioral intention of Koreans. It is noted that this research surveyed Korean about behavioral intention of visiting China rather than surveying foreigners visiting Korea as general study in Korea. Second, it is proved that cultural proximity between Korea and China influenced national image and tourist destination image and they have positive effect on behavioral intention. However, the most important fact in this study is that cultural proximity has a considerable influence on national image formation, but the effect of national image on behavioral intentions is insignificant. Third, cultural proximity has a direct and indirect effect on behavioral intention. Tourist destination image is a significant parameter between cultural proximity and behavioral intention, on particular. The main policy implications of this study are as follows: First, public relations activities to inform their own countries as tourist destinations are important in order to positively attract foreign tourists. Korea is also showing excellent examples in promoting the tourism industry led by the government and promoting tourism industry in cooperation with the governmental organizations and private companies. It is necessary to establish a policy to systematically operate and publicize national tourism organizations, including both central and local cities, rather than promoting China to the world through China tourism organization. Second, Korea is committed to developing and promoting various types of Korean Wave products in order to satisfy the desire of today's rapidly changing tourists in addition to historical sites and traditional tourism resources. Third, the government has set up a strategy to sell a variety of Korean goods with tourism products led by government. For example, there is a great demand for Korean electronic products, Korean food, cosmetics, fashion clothes, accessories and so on, to foreign tourists without the big publicity, due to the effect of the Korean wave. Furthermore, the Korean government is going to hold Korea Sale FESTA to attract Chinese tourist. Fourth, the tourism policy and operation of Korean wave culture industry in Korea can be a good example for fostering the arts, culture and tourism industry in China. In a efforts to promote cultural and tourism policies, Korea has unique and differentiated cultural tourism products today.
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