Chines Visa application for British national applying from South Korea

Hi,

I was wondering if you could please offer me some advice?

I am currently living and working as a techer in South Korea and I am due to finish my contract on April 15th. I am a British citizen and lived in Britain all of my life before coming away to work in Korea for a year. I have booked my flight and planned to take a trip to Japan and PRC when I finish my contract. I fly to Japan on April 18th from Seoul and then on April 26th from Hiroshima to Shanghai. I will fly from Beijing back to England on May 9th. My flights are booked and paid for. My friend, who is also a British citizen and in the same situation as myself plans to do the same.

Yesterday when I started to prepare to apply for a Chinese visa I read that you have to have at least six months left on your Korean work visa. Mine will expire on May 4th so I do not have the required six months. I was not aware of this rule before I planned and booked my trip. I was wondering what can I do to apply for it as a tourist in these circumstances? Is there any way that I would be able to do it from Korea?

Or alternatively could I do it through yourselves or a UK travel agent and send my passport recorded delivery through the post to them to handle and process my application and then have them send it back to me in Korea?

Or would I be able to apply for it while I am in Japan?

Any help or advice would be most appreciated- thankyou!