How Safe Is South Korea for Travel?

Safety Index:

South Korea, officially known as the Republic of Korea is a country located in East Asia.

South Korea occupies the southern half of the Korean Peninsula, sharing borders with North Korea, obviously to the north, China across the sea to the west and Japan a short ferry ride to the southeast.

Seoul, South Korea’s capital and the powerhouse of Asia’s third-largest economy, is an attraction all by itself!

This city that never sleeps is a heaven for those yearning to experience some adventure in contemporary Asian surroundings: on every corner, you can find flawlessly reconstructed palaces that stand side by side with glowing night markets and latest technological wonders.

But South Korea isn’t just about exciting nightlife and breathtaking technologies.

Since it’s not too large of a country, serenity can be found just around the corner from the urban noise.

Just next to the densely forested national parks, you can found mountains that turn into amazing ski centers in winter.

You can also go sailing to remote islands, go farming and fishing with the folk people and relax in tranquil villages surrounded by rice fields.

Warnings & Dangers in South Korea

So... How Safe Is South Korea Really?

South Korea is a very safe country to visit.

Its crime rates are much lower than in the US and on par with most European countries, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

This mostly means that, for tourists and anyone else, it is perfectly safe to walk around at night, even in the larger cities.

Violent crime is also rare.

Only foreigners and tourists looking for trouble could end up in one, and this usually applies to drunker or intoxicated visitors, provoking fights in bars.

However, if you do find yourself in a situation concerning anything police can help you with, they are mostly at every corner, and even though they don’t speak English, they have interpreters on-call that can help you.

Another issue in Korea is the problems that Korean motorists cause to its traffic.

They sometimes speed through pedestrian crossings, go through red lights and have no problem passing within a hair-width distance from pedestrians and other cars.

Traffic lights do not mean much to these drivers, so be careful when crossing the street as you never know where they can jump out from.

Generally, the streets of South Korea and their traffic culture is not too safe, and it is safer to use underground passageways.

Also, keep in mind that even though an armistice was established between North and South Korea in the 1950s, these two countries are, officially, still at war.

In the light of recent events that made the tension between them very high, there is general fear that a new war might result in tragic consequences and casualties, so, by all means, get informed on current events in the region before traveling there.

Useful Information

• Visas - Regulations and conditions concerning visa and entry into the state of South Korea regularly change, so it is best to get informed at the moment of planning a trip to this country. Foreigners are finger-printed upon arrival in the Republic of Korea. Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your intended date of departure from South Korea. If you are not sure about your visa status, visit www.doyouneedvisa.com which will let you know whether or not you need a visa based on your nationality and the country you want to visit.
• Currency - South Korean Won is the official currency of South Korea. It may not be the best idea to exchange money in the street exchange offices. Your best bet when exchanging money is either an official bank office or withdrawing money from an ATM.
• Weather - South Korea has a temperate climate characterized by four distinct seasons. Winters are usually long, cold and dry, summers are very short and hot, with lots of humidity, and spring is actually the most pleasant time to visit South Korea. Autumn is also pleasant but like spring and summer, short in duration.
• Airports - Incheon International Airport is the largest airport in South Korea and also one of the largest and busiest airports in the world. It is located west of Incheon's city center, on an artificially created piece of land between Yeongjong and Yongyu Islands.
• Travel Insurance - Just like anywhere else, we recommend getting travel insurance when traveling to South Korea, since it covers not only the costs of medical problems but also theft and loss of valuables.

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South Korea Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Average High/Low Temperature