🏯 South Korea

Official government travel advice

Advice changes quickly. Check it before you travel and again before you leave.

Recent disaster alerts (UN/EU GDACS)

Updated 4 Nov 2026. Alerts change quickly: check GDACS and your government's advice before you travel.

Costs

Prices here are about 57% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.

Practical information

Entry

Visa and K-ETA rules depend on your passport - check before booking: the visa portal (Hi Korea) for visas, and the K-ETA site for the electronic travel authorisation that many visa-free nationalities need (a temporary K-ETA exemption for a list of countries runs until 31 December 2026). In addition, foreign visitors are now required to submit the free online e-Arrival Card before arrival (check the official site for the exact timing) unless they hold an approved K-ETA. Use only the official .go.kr sites.

Culture - take note

Respect for elders is central: greet with a slight bow, and give and receive things (cards, money, drinks) with two hands. Take off shoes in homes, many restaurants and guesthouses. Tipping is not expected. When drinking with elders, pour for others, receive with two hands and turn your head slightly away to sip. Speak quietly on public transport. Do not write a person's name in red ink. Dress is fashionable but modest in temples. Smoking is banned in many public places. Halal food is available around the Seoul Central Mosque and in some areas of Seoul, and the number of halal-certified restaurants is growing - check ahead.

Emergency

Police 112. Fire and ambulance 119. Korea Travel Helpline 1330 (English and other languages).

Good to know

Plugs and voltage

Seoul's official tourism site says the standard voltage in Korea is 220 volts and the frequency 60 hertz, with Type C and Type F sockets that have two round holes. VisitKorea likewise describes outlets with two round holes, and says a multi-voltage adapter can be borrowed or bought at a hotel front desk.

Tap water is drinkable

Seoul's official tourism site states that Korean tap water is safe to use for hygiene purposes, such as brushing teeth and washing the face, and is safe to drink as well.

Foreign cards at cash machines

The currency is the won. Canadian advice says some major banks have cash machines that accept international debit or credit cards, but the amount allowed per withdrawal may be quite low, so service charges can add up over several withdrawals.

Local laws and customs

ID, drugs and medicines

UK advice says carrying ID is a legal requirement, though rarely checked, and that drug convictions can bring long jail sentences, even for small amounts of marijuana; visitors have been detained on drug tests alone. Canadian advice says narcotic and psychotropic medication needs an import permit, applied for online before arrival, even with a prescription, and that photographing military sites or government buildings is illegal. It also says same-sex acts are not prohibited by law and same-sex marriage is not legally recognised.

Taxis and scams

Taxis in South Korea

Regular taxis in South Korea carry yellow licence plates and a TAXI roof sign, while deluxe taxis are usually black, says the Korea Tourism Organization. Most run on a taximeter, with a late-night surcharge that usually applies from about 22:00 to 04:00. Cash, a card or a transport card all work for payment, and tipping is usually unnecessary. Drivers often speak little English, UK advice says, so have your destination written in Korean.

Taxi apps in South Korea

Among the taxi apps listed by the Korea Tourism Organization are Kakao T, k.ride, TADA and TABA, with k.ride and TABA described as designed for foreign visitors. k.ride, from Kakao Mobility, accepts overseas credit cards and supports English, Japanese and Chinese. Kakao T requires a Kakao account, which can be created with a local mobile number. Uber Taxi is booked through the standard Uber app. The organisation's page was last updated in October 2025.

Fake arrival card websites

Do not use any website that charges fees for arrival cards, because Canadian travel advice reports online scams tied to the e-Arrival card in South Korea. The same advice separately warns against leaving food or drinks unattended or with strangers, because anything handed over by new acquaintances may contain drugs, which could lead to sexual assault or robbery.

Who can help

local government

Korean National Police (112)

Helps with: South Korea's police emergency number, listed on the Korea Tourism Organization's emergency page for crimes such as theft and assault. The page lists no police unit for tourists.

Who qualifies: Anyone in South Korea, including visitors, who needs police help.

Phone: 112

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

1330 Korea Travel Helpline (Korea Tourism Organization)

Helps with: The national tourism organisation's helpline for travel questions and visitor help. The page lists support in Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese, Thai and Malay.

Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in South Korea or planning a trip there.

Phone: +82-2-1330

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

119 Fire and Medical Emergencies

Helps with: South Korea's emergency number for fire and ambulance, with a separate infectious disease line, 1339, listed on the Korea Tourism Organization's emergency page.

Who qualifies: Anyone in South Korea, including visitors, who needs an ambulance or fire service.

Phone: 119

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

un agency

International Organization for Migration (IOM) Republic of Korea

Helps with: The UN migration agency's Korea office. It works with the Korean government and partners on protecting people on the move and regular migration pathways, and runs trainings and events.

Who qualifies: Government and partner organisations working on migration. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.

Phone: 02-6925-1360

Address: 13th Floor, Hyoryung Building, 32 Mugyo-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul 04521

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

embassy

Foreign embassies in South Korea (official diplomatic list)

Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The Korean foreign ministry posts a Diplomatic List of resident missions as a downloadable spreadsheet.

Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy in Seoul.

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Myeong-dong Tourist Information Center

Helps with: Seoul's tourist information centre in the Myeong-dong shopping district. Staff give visitors travel information in person; the city's official tourism site lists the address and phone.

Who qualifies: Anyone visiting Seoul who wants travel information or directions.

Phone: +82-2-778-0333

Address: 1F, Annex Building, Hana Financial Group Myeongdong, Seoul

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

120 Dasan Call Center (Seoul)

Helps with: Seoul city government's call centre for city information and complaints. Its foreign-language service covers English, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Mongolian, Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm excluding public holidays.

Who qualifies: Residents and visitors in Seoul who need city information or help in a foreign language.

Phone: 02-120

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

ngo

Korean Red Cross

Helps with: The site describes disaster emergency relief, support for vulnerable people, life-safety education, medical services and blood programmes. The site is mostly in Korean.

Who qualifies: The page does not say who can use each service. It describes help for people affected by disasters and for vulnerable groups.

Phone: 1577-8179

Email: webmaster@redcross.or.kr

Address: (26465) 강원특별자치도 원주시 혁신로 50

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

Cities and places

Seoul SeoulThe capital, known for royal palaces, K-pop and K-drama spots, Myeongdong shopping and street food.Photo: Eunmi Park, CC BY-SA 4.0 Busan BusanA port city with Haeundae Beach, the colourful Gamcheon Culture Village, seaside temples and fresh seafood markets.Photo: by lwy, CC BY 2.0 Jeju Island Jeju IslandA volcanic island with UNESCO-listed craters and lava caves, beaches, hiking on Hallasan and tangerine farms.Photo: LG전자, CC BY 2.0 Incheon IncheonHome to Korea's main international airport, with a historic Chinatown, Songdo's modern waterfront and nearby islands.Photo: Jaehyuk Lee, CC BY-SA 2.0 Gyeongju GyeongjuThe ancient Silla kingdom capital, with royal tombs, Bulguksa Temple and other UNESCO-listed heritage sites.Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0 Gangwon (Sokcho and Seoraksan) Gangwon (Sokcho and Seoraksan)A mountain and coast province known for Seoraksan National Park, autumn colours, ski resorts and east-coast beaches.Photo: Scroozle, CC BY-SA 3.0

City selection based on: Korea Tourism Organization / Ministry of Culture foreign visitor surveys; Euromonitor Top 100 City Destinations 2025

Festivals and events

culture

Seollal (Korean New Year)

5-10 Feb 2027 · Seoul

Lunar New Year family holiday - many shops and restaurants close.

nature

Jinhae cherry blossom festival

around Mar-Apr 2027 · Changwon (Jinhae)

Korea's biggest cherry-blossom festival.

festival

Cherry blossom season

around Apr 2027 · Seoul

One of the country's biggest yearly events. Hotels fill up and prices rise, so plan early.

festival

Boryeong Mud Festival

around Jul-Aug 2027 · Boryeong

Mud games and concerts on Daecheon Beach.

culture

Busan International Film Festival

around Sep-Oct 2027 · Busan

Asia's biggest film festival, in Haeundae.

culture

Chuseok (Korean thanksgiving)

14-16 Sep 2027 · Seoul

Three-day family holiday: palaces are free, many shops close, trains are full.

culture

Seollal (Korean New Year)

25-29 Jan 2028 · Seoul

Lunar New Year family holiday - many shops and restaurants close.