Should i travel to south korea

For non-Korean speakers, the police will link an interpreter into the call. Safe-travel guide for women. Political, labour and student demonstrations and marches may occur. Even peaceful demonstrations can turn violent at any time. They can lead to significant disruptions to traffic and public transportation.

More about mass gatherings large-scale events. The rate of fatal road accidents is very high. Check carefully before crossing the road. Vehicles may not stop at pedestrian crossings. Use underground or above-ground pedestrian crossings, where available. Speeding, running red lights, lane changes without signalling and other risky driving behaviours are common, particularly by buses, taxis and motorcyclists.

Motorcycles are sometimes driven on sidewalks. Automobile drivers are presumed to be at fault in accidents involving motorcycles or pedestrians. Criminal charges and heavy penalties are common when accidents result in injury. Even if negligence is not proven, you may be subject to criminal charges. The use of public transport after dark may be safer than using taxis when travelling alone. When subway and bus services end for the night, use officially marked taxis only.

Taxis may not be equipped with seatbelts. Drivers may speak some English, but have your destination written in Korean. We do not make assessments on the compliance of foreign domestic airlines with international safety standards.

General information about foreign domestic airlines. Civil emergency exercises are held 8 times a year for fires, earthquakes, other disasters and civil defence drills.

Nationwide exercises take place in March, May, August and September. Regional exercises occur each year in April, June, October and November. Depending on the exercise, sirens may sound, transport may stop and authorities may ask some people to take shelter in metro stations or basements. While visitor participation is not necessary, familiarize yourself with procedures and check local announcements for further exercises.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety offers a free emergency assistance mobile application called Emergency Ready available on Google Play and iTunes. The app allows users to contact emergency services, locate the closest medical centre or shelter and view first aid videos. Most governments have implemented special entry and exit restrictions and requirements for their territory due to COVID Before travelling, verify if the local authorities of both your current location and destinations have implemented any restrictions or requirements related to this situation.

Consider even your transit points, as transit rules are in place in many destinations. This could disrupt your travel. Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. We have obtained the information on this page from the South Korean authorities. It can, however, change at any time. Verify this information with the Foreign Representatives in Canada.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Official travel. Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document.

Before you leave, check with the closest diplomatic mission for your destination. Tourist visa: Not required for stays less than days Business visa: Not required for stays less than days Student visa: Required Working visa: Required must be obtained outside South Korea. If you wish to extend the length of your visa, contact the Korea Immigration Service as soon as possible to apply for an extension.

Authorities strictly enforce immigration laws and regulations. More information about visas - Korea Immigration Service. Foreigners must register their biometrics fingerprints and facial scan at their port of entry. Children younger than 17 years and diplomats are exempt from this screening.

The Korea Immigration Service will screen your body temperature upon your arrival at the airport. They may test you for infectious diseases including cholera and Zika virus. In some cases, authorities may quarantine you for medical observation if you show flu-like symptoms or test positive for an infectious disease. Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever vaccines section. Be sure that your routine vaccines , as per your province or territory, are up-to-date regardless of your travel destination.

While those feeling especially brave can book a ticket for the Sky Bridge and head outside for a walk above the city at a mind-boggling height of metres. This content is not available in your region. Seoul is a high-tech city full of tradition - Copyright Canva.

A street in Seoul Canva. Food being prepared at Onjium Seoul Metropolitan Goverment. But does sleep tech work? The view from Inwangsani mountain Seoul Metropolitan Government. This magical 'treehouse suite' is one of the most sought-after properties on Airbnb Ready to unplug?

Here's 11 unusual cabins, hobbit holes and private islands without WiFi These are the 3 most relaxing places to have a holiday in Europe Cute dogs put on a barking mad show at this New York Halloween parade. Partner content. Women Beyond Borders. All foreign nationals arriving in South Korea are required to provide a negative PCR test declaration, issued within 72 hours of departure.

See Entry requirements. The typhoon season normally runs from June to November. You should monitor the Korean Meteorological Administration website and follow any advice given by the local authorities and the emergency services. See Natural disasters. The level of tension between North and South Korea, and the security situation, can change with little notice. Tensions have usually arisen around the time of South Korean-US military exercises.

See Political situation. Check the foreign travel checklist and crisis overseas page to find out more about things you can do before and during foreign travel to plan effectively and stay safe. You can also sign up to email alerts to be notified about future updates to this travel advice. See Contingency planning. Reserved behaviour in public is the norm. Homosexual relationships are not illegal, but public displays of affection are not commonplace.

LGBT groups are gaining visibility but any public gatherings are likely to be met with counter protests from conservative groups. Illegal drug use no matter what the drug carries stiff penalties, including fines and long prison terms.

Call for police an interpretation service is available during working hours and for ambulance and fire. English is not widely spoken in South Korea so a phrase book can be very useful when you want to communicate essentials. In general, taxi drivers do not speak English, though some companies offer in-car translation.

It is best to have written directions in Korean and a map. Some Korean taxi drivers are sometimes reluctant to pick up foreigners and this reluctance can be more evident at night or during inclement weather.

Given often-heavy traffic conditions, you should get advice about travel times. The Seoul metro and bus network are excellent forms of transport: quick, cheap and extensive. Ticket machines operate in English as well as Korean.

If you are moving to South Korea or have recently moved to South Korea, it can take some time to adapt to your new surroundings. Please refer to following information and useful links which might help you adapting yourself to the new surroundings.

The majority of Irish nationals working in Korea are teaching English in private language institutes, public schools or universities. For further advice regarding teaching English in Korea, see here. In the event they are already residing in Korea, they should contact a branch office of the Korean Immigration Service in their region, or contact the Immigration Contact Centre. Its purpose is to enable persons who have paid social insurance in both countries, but have too few contributions in one country for a pension, to receive a pension on the basis of their combined periods of social insurance contributions.

It also allows a person to retain cover under their home country's legislation if they are sent to work temporarily for the same employer or a subsidiary company in the other country for a period of up to 5 years.

Please see the information leaflet for additional information. The Convention or Double Taxation Agreement provides for the allocation of taxing rights between the two countries and for the granting of relief from double taxation with regard to items of income and capital gains which, under the laws of both countries, may be taxed in both. Irish Organisations and Societies. You may find it helpful to meet with other Irish citizens who are part of a local organisation or business network.

There are a small number of Irish organisations and societies in South Korea:. The Korean Immigration Service KIS has, since , implemented the rule that all non-Korean nationals, with some limited exceptions, must provide biometric information on entering the Republic of Korea. You can find out more from the KIS. You should carry personal ID with you at all times.

We recommend that you fill in the personal identification and next-of-kin information in the back of your passport. It is advisable to take a number of photocopies of your passport with you. During your stay, you should carry a photocopy of your passport at all times. Check with your doctor well in advance of travelling to see if you need any vaccinations for South Korea. There are international clinics at the major hospitals and specialist medical and dental clinics where English is spoken.