The move can cause a drop in their tourism, media reports quoted South Korean officials as saying.

With the ban in place, the Korean Tourism Organisation (KTO) has predicted a drop of 27 percent in tourist footfalls, compared to last year, the reports said.

Korea is expected to lose around 4.7 million foreign tourists due to the embargo.

The Chinese travelers alone makes up Korea's 46.8 percent tourist population, which when taken out of the equation, is expected to cause a serious damage to the tourism industry.

"With the current trend, South Korea's tourism industry could enter a long-term depression," a KTO officer told the local Yonhap news agency.

The embargo started after South Korea allowed US to implement the defence system.

The Chinese complained that though the US have implemented the defence system in order to avert threat from North Korea, its powerful radar can penetrate Beijing and meddle with China's security.