Key facts
South Korea is a country located in Eastern Asia. South Korea has only one border country: North Korea. The official language of South Korea is Korean. Unfortunately, if you speak English, it might be problematic to communicate fluently unless you know Korean.
In the EF English Competency Index (EF EPI), which assesses the language proficiency of non-native speaking countries, South Korea was ranked 37th out of 100 countries in 2021.
The national currency in South Korea is South Korean won (KRW). The won (₩) is subdivided into 100 jeon.
With today’s currency rate, 1 EUR is worth 1415.38 KRW and 1 USD is worth 1318.98 KRW.
South Korean
Banknotes
₩1000₩5000₩10000₩50000
South Korean
Coins
₩1₩5₩10₩50₩100₩500
Check with your bank before your trip to find out if there are any fees for using your card abroad. Some banks do not charge fees when you use a foreign ATM or pay in foreign currency, but others may charge a fixed cost for each transaction or allow a limited number of free withdrawals. The travel card provided by Wise.com, Revolut or Monose might be an excellent option to cut down on transaction fees.
Ookla® Speedtest The average fixed internet speed in South Korea is 216.98 Mbps and mobile is 237.36 Mbs.The global average is 159.18 Mbps and 109.61 Mbps respectively.
ATM Density South Korea has more ATMs than most other countries.259.46 ATMs per 100,000 people.The global average is 39.69.
SIM Registration In order to purchase a SIM card in South Korea, a passport or ID is required as identification.
Socket types
There are 2 socket types used in South Korea. Type C is a popular socket type throughout Europe (except the United Kingdom), Russia, and certain Asian countries.
The sockets’ shapes and voltage differ from country to country and a travel plug adapter may be required. Portable devices, such as phones, notebooks or tablets, usually handle the entire range of voltages used across the world (110-240V).
Public holidays
In the year 2023, South Korea will celebrate 15 national public holidays. The next one Memorial Day will take place on June 6.
| Date | Holiday name | |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2023 | New Year’s Day새해 | |
| January 21, 2023Moving holiday | Lunar New Year설날 | |
| January 23, 2023Moving holiday | Lunar New Year설날 | |
| January 24, 2023Moving holiday | Lunar New Year설날 | |
| March 1, 2023 | Independence Movement Day3·1절 | |
| May 5, 2023Moving holiday | Children’s Day어린이날 | |
| May 27, 2023Moving holiday | Buddha’s Birthday부처님 오신 날 | |
| June 6, 2023 | Memorial Day현충일 | |
| August 15, 2023 | Liberation Day광복절 | |
| September 28, 2023Moving holiday | Chuseok추석 | |
| September 29, 2023Moving holiday | Chuseok추석 | |
| September 30, 2023Moving holiday | Chuseok추석 | |
| October 3, 2023 | National Foundation Day개천절 | |
| October 9, 2023 | Hangul Day한글날 | |
| December 25, 2023 | Christmas Day크리스마스 |
Sources
- EF English Proficiency Index (EF Education First)
- Speedtest Global Index® (Ookla®)
- Automated teller machines (ATMs) (per 100,000 adults) (The World Bank Group)
- Registration Policies Per Country (Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki)
Tourism
What hotel chains are present in South Korea?
There are Mariott hotels in 2 cities: Daegu and Jeju-do.
The Hilton hotel chain operates in South Korea.
The IHG hotel chain operates in South Korea.
The Best Western hotel chain operates in South Korea.
There are no Radisson hotels in South Korea.
The Accor hotel chain operates in South Korea.
What fast food chains are present in South Korea?
The McDonald’s chain operates in South Korea.
The KFC chain does not operate in South Korea.
The Burger King chain operates in South Korea.
The Subway chain operates in South Korea.
The Domino’s Pizza chain operates in South Korea.
The Starbucks chain operates in South Korea.
Sources
- Country by National Dish (Samson Daniel)
Weather
What is the weather like in Seoul?
Weather data for Seoul (capital city) by Open-Meteo.com
Transport
Railways There are passenger trains , and some of them are high-speed trains.
Subway Systems The subway system is available in 6 cities.
Sources
- List of high-speed railway lines (Wikipedia)
- List of metro systems (Wikipedia)
- Left- and right-hand traffic (Wikipedia)
- The Global Enabling Trade Report 2016: Road connectivity (World Economic Forum)
Safety
Emergency phones in South Korea
Sources
- South Korea Travel Advisory (United States: Department of State)
- Travel Advice for South Korea (United Kingdom: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
- Mortality caused by road traffic injury (The World Bank Group)
- Corruption & Economic Crime (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Smoking & Alcohol
Smoking ban Smoking is forbidden in all public indoor locations, with limited exceptions.
Cananbis legality Recreational usage: Illegal
Medical usage: Legal in certain circumstances
Minors under 19 years of age (based on year of birth) are not given tax exemption for liquor and cigarettes.
Alcohol allowance
- 1 bottle of liquor (up to 1L and US$400)
Tobacco allowance
- 200 cigarettes
Sources
- Customs clearance procedure for passenger belongings
- List of smoking bans (Wikipedia)
- Legality of cannabis (Wikipedia)