South Korea Travel Guide
Tourist season
Are April and May good months to visit South Korea?
April
Semi-high
season
May
Semi-high
season
Did you know?
The surface area of South Korea is 38.7 thous. mi², which puts the country in position number 111 in terms of the area in the world.
How far is it?
1. The site uses the Great Circle method of calculating distances between two points on the Earth
2. To change the cities for comparison, change Your Country in settings
The distance between Seoul (KR) and Washington D.C. (US) is 6938 miles
To calculate distance between your location and Seoul click here
Country Comparison
Compare South Korea to any country in the world and see key differences between them side-by-side.
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Cities and Top Tourist Attractions
From historical cities to picturesque landmarks and fascinating places - don't miss out on these attractions when planning a visit to South Korea
| Miles | Seoul | Busan | Daegu | Incheon | Gyeongju | Seogwipo-Si | Suwon | Gunpo |
| Seoul | - | 203 | 147 | 20 | 172 | 299 | 19 | 14 |
| Busan | 203 | - | 56 | 209 | 48 | 195 | 186 | 193 |
| Daegu | 147 | 56 | - | 155 | 35 | 215 | 131 | 138 |
| Incheon | 20 | 209 | 155 | - | 182 | 291 | 24 | 18 |
| Gyeongju | 172 | 48 | 35 | 182 | - | 235 | 158 | 165 |
| Seogwipo-Si | 299 | 195 | 215 | 291 | 235 | - | 280 | 285 |
| Suwon | 19 | 186 | 131 | 24 | 158 | 280 | - | 7 |
| Gunpo | 14 | 193 | 138 | 18 | 165 | 285 | 7 | - |
A Brief History of South Korea
Important historical events that significantly shaped the nation's trajectory throughout the centuries
3000 B.C.
Early civilizationEarly Korean civilization grows with waves of settlers from central Asia.
700 B.C.
Rice farming is boomingImmigrants from eastern China bring new rice-growing techniques.
200 A.D.
New writing systemKorea's emerging states develop laws and a new writing system that uses Chinese characters.
668
Silla DynastyThe Silla Dynasty brings together three existing kingdoms, and the arts flourish.
1285
Samguk YusaThe Buddhist monk Ilyon writes Samguk Yusa, a classic piece of Korean literature.
1392
Yi DynastyThe Yi Dynasty begins and the country is renamed Choson. The Yi Dynasty lasts more than 500 years.
1592 - 1598
Imjin WarThe Japanese military ruler Hideyoshi Toyotomi leads invasions of Korea.
1895
Sino-Japanese WarJapan defeats China in the Sino-Japanese War, ending China's influence over Korea.
1905
Russo-Japanese WarThe Russo-Japanese War ends, and Japan gains control of Korea from Russia.
1945
World War IIAfter Japan's surrender at the end of World War II, Korea is divided into north and south zones at the 38th parallel.
1948
South KoreaThe Republic of Korea is established in the south, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is established in the north.
1950 - 1953
Korean WarNorth Korea invades South Korea. The United Nations sends a multinational force to aid the South. After heavy fighting, a truce is declared.
1988
Summer OlympicsSeoul hosts the Summer Olympics.
1998
Sunshine PolicyPresident Kim Dae Jung begins the Sunshine Policy to encourage open relations with North Korea.
2000
Significant meeting between the KoreasPresident Kim Dae Jung meets with North Korean President Kim Jong-il in P'yongyang, the capital of North Korea. This is the first meeting between the two countries in fifty years.
2000
Nobel Peace Prize for Kim Dae-jungPresident Kim Dae-jung becomes the first South Korean to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Best Ways to Experience South Korea
- Cuisine
- Art
- Animals
Practical Information for Travelers
- Budget
- Currency
- Vaccinations
- Visa
- Electricity
Determine the expenses for your travel or vacation budget, as well as the expenditures associated with residing in another country
MoreBackpacker's budget
Daily budget for one person, assuming that two people travel in a standard close to 1 star (hostels, public transport). When traveling alone, the cost may be slightly higher (hotel room) or the same (dormitory accommodation).from
Tourist's budget
Daily budget for one person, assuming that two people travel (they share the cost of a hotel room, taxis, etc.) to a standard close to 3 stars. Costs for a solo traveler will be higher.from
Currency
MoreWon (KRW)
- EUR
- GBP
- KRW
- USD
- EUR
- GBP
- KRW
- USD
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Vaccinations
MoreAll travelers
You should be up to date on routine vaccinations while traveling to any destination. Some vaccinations may also be required in South Korea.
Most travelers
Get travel vaccines and medicines because there is a risk of these diseases in the country you are visiting.
Some travelers
Vaccinations and medications that may be recommended under certain conditions, depending on where you will be, the length of your stay and the nature of your stay.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a disease caused by the hepatitis B virus.Infection occurs through contact of injured skin or mucous membranes with virus-infected blood or other secretions (e.g. during sexual contact, through contaminated needles or as a result of medical procedures).Prevention
- Get vaccinated
- Avoid sharing body fluids
- Avoid non-sterile medical or cosmetic equipment
Japanese Encephalitis
Japanese encephalitis is an infectious disease caused by arboviruses from the same family of microbes (Flaviviridae) that cause yellow fever or tick-borne encephalitis.The vector of infection is mosquitoes of the genus Culex and Aedes.Prevention
- Get vaccinated
- Prevent bug bites
With or without a visa?
Visa requirements for citizens of
- United States
visiting 
South Korea for tourism
A visa is required but can be obtained online (e-Visa).
- Allowed stay: 90 days
- All visitors are fingerprinted. From September 2021, travellers require a K-ETA, issued for a fee of 10,000 won.
Electricity
220V (60 Hz)
In South Korea the standard voltage is 220V and the frequency is 60 Hz. Type C, F sockets are used.
Click on the socket icon to see more information
Type C
Type FFacts and Figures
Fundamental socio-economic statistical data pertaining to the country
Population | 110 / 231 Ranking | 51 269 185 |
Area | 111 / 232 Ranking | 38.7 thous. mi² It is approximately 1% of the territory of United States. |
Life expectancy | 106 / 221 Ranking | 82.8 Life expectancy expressed in years.men 79.7women 86.1 |
Median age | 106 / 222 Ranking | 43.2 Average age of population expressed in years.men 41.6women 45 |
Population growth | 105 / 224 Ranking | 0.26% The difference between live births and deaths. A negative value means natural loss. |
Literacy | 99 / 210 Ranking | 97.9% Ability to read, write and count.men 99.2%women 96.6% |
GDP | 94 / 194 Ranking | 43 319 INT$ GDP per capita is gross domestic product converted to international dollars (Int$) using purchasing power parity rates and divided by total population. |
North Korea