South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that Chinese online travel service Ctrip has deleted tour programs to South Korea on its website Thursday, in what could be a sign of lingering row between the two neighbors over a US missile defense system.

The deletion came just hours after the company restarted online marketing of related products on its website Wednesday. Chinese firms usually toe the government line on sensitive issues.

"Ctrip seems to have deleted the tours after it drew attention," an industry source said.

The report said that China prohibited its nationals from joining group tours to South Korea in 2017 in protest of Seoul's decision to deploy a US anti-missile system in southern South Korea.

Chinese nationals accounted for 47% of the 17.2 million foreigners who visited South Korea in 2016, but the number of Chinese tourists fell 48.3% to 4.16 million in 2017. 

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