According to extrareference, South Korea (Korean: 대한 민국) is a country in Asia that was created in 1945 after the partition of Korea. South Korea only borders North Korea. The capital of South Korea is Seoul. A number of major cities in South Korea are: Busan, Daegu, Daejeon and Gwangju. South Korea also has about 3,000 islands off its southern and western coasts. By far the largest island in South Korea is Jeju (Cheju).
South Korea is a country that consists of about 70% mountain landscape. The highest mountain is the Hallasan in the province of Cheju-do with a top of 1950 meters. The landscape is determined by a few large cities that are full of skyscrapers. The capital Seoul is the second largest city in the world after Tokyo with a population of 22 million people. The country still has many markets, several National Parks and a coastline with sandy beaches that are packed during the summer. Many tourists come to the country to visit the border crossing between North and South Korea or to admire one of the many subtropical islands. See barblejewelry for regions in Asia.
Where is South Korea?
Travel information of South Korea
Official name: Republic of Korea
Continent: Asia
Area: 99,538 km²
Capital: Seoul (Seoul)
Country code: KR, KOR
Population: 51,835,110 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Republic
Highest point: 1,950 m (Hallasan)
Distance (Amsterdam – Seoul): 8,580 km
Flight time: approximately 10 hours
Travel advice
Current status: All travel to the border with North Korea is discouraged.
Current color code: Green and red.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in place in South Korea that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of South Korea, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to South Korea. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, hiking map, cycling map, book or DVD about South Korea?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in South Korea at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
South Korea has a temperate climate. The temperatures are around 0 to 5 degrees during the winter months and around 30 degrees during the summer months.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for South Korea can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of South Korea can be found at Climate info.
Best time
September and October are the best months to travel to South Korea. This avoids the cold winter period and the rainy and typhoon season.
Language
Korean is the official language in South Korea.
Would you like to translate from or to Korean for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is still valid when you leave South Korea.
A visa is not necessary if you stay in South Korea for less than 3 months.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in South Korea: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of South Korea in the Netherlands: overseas.mofa.go.kr.
Consulates of South Korea in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting South Korea, it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Malaria
Malaria occurs in South Korea (with the exception of Seoul). Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.
Money and Currency
In South Korea, payment is made with the South Korean won (KRW).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in South Korea can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in South Korea are slightly higher than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is +9% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (42% cheaper), food (67% more expensive), imported beer in catering (18% more expensive), cigarettes (40% cheaper) and public transport (64% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In South Korea it is not customary to tip. Good service is a matter of course for South Koreans. A tip will in most cases be refused. Only in hotels is it becoming more and more common to give a (small) tip.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 7 hours later in South Korea.
During our winter time it is 8 hours later in South Korea.
South Korea has no difference between winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone for South Korea can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In South Korea you must drive on the right.
To drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in South Korea, you must have an international driver’s license. The international driver’s license is available at an ANWB shop.
Electricity
In South Korea the same plugs and sockets are used as in the Netherlands.
More information about electricity in South Korea can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 112
– Fire: 119
– Ambulance: 119
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to South Korea can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from South Korea can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from South Korea end in.kr.
South Korea official websites: korea.net and english.visitkorea.or.kr.
Telephony
The country code (international prefix) to call someone in South Korea is 0082 or +82.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from South Korea? Then use the Dutch country code 00131.
(If you use a country code, you must omit the first 0 of the number to be called.)
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from South Korea.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from South Korea.
Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in South Korea can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in South Korea, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about South Korea?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited South Korea. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in South Korea can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in South Korea can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to South Korea? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. In addition, on this website you will find the laws and regulations regarding the importation of pets and a list of everything that may not be imported and/or exported to South Korea.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you intend to do business in or do business with South Korea, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about South Korea, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, product requirements, business partners and subsidies.
Studying and internship
Are you considering a study, internship or gap year in South Korea? You are by no means the only one and certainly not the first. To help you on your way, Nuffic (the Dutch organization for internationalization in education) has set up the WilWeg.nl website. On this website you will find all the information that can help you on your way, such as admission requirements, forms of education, accommodation, scholarships, internships, health insurance, study costs and of course experiences.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to South Korea.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 19.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.5.
– Tobacco: Buying and/or smoking from the age of 19.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…Five surnames make up half of the entire population?
…It is not possible to marry someone with the same surname in South Korea?
…McDonald’s in South Korea also delivers at home?
…The blood type determines your personality in South Korea?
…People in South Korea turn 1 at birth?
…People in South Korea turn a year older on January 1?
