Latest News:

International Restrictions:

*Transiting in South Korea: All transit passengers receive a temperature check on arrival in Korea. Symptomatic individuals will be subject to a COVID-19 test and hospitalisation if found positive. Passengers who do not show symptoms and/or test negative may continue their journey. Transit passengers at Seoul Incheon Airport require a ticket/boarding pass for their onward flight to their final destination. They should confirm with the airline(s) before departure that their bags have been checked through to their final destination (as transit passengers are not able to collect and re-check in baggage on arrival in Incheon Airport). Transit hotels are available in both Terminals 1 and 2 at Incheon Airport.

*Testing / screening on arrival: All foreign nationals arriving in South Korea are required to provide a negative PCR test declaration, issued within 72 hours of departure. You can find more details at your nearest Republic of Korea Embassy.

All arrivals – regardless of nationality and length of stay – are also required to be tested for coronavirus (COVID-19) after entering South Korea. Arrivals will be taken for testing and must remain at the testing facility until a negative result has been secured. From 7 May, travellers with a Korean government-approved official vaccination certificate showing that they have received two vaccine doses in South Korea more than 14 days before their departure from the country may be exempted from compulsory quarantine on their return. Those exempted will need to comply with active health monitoring through an app, undertake two compulsory COVID tests and limit some activities for a 14 day period. Arrivals from South Africa and Brazil will not be eligible for this exemption. Travellers with vaccination certificates from countries other than South Korea are not currently eligible for an automatic quarantine exemption. For more information contact the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on 1339.

Korean nationals and long term foreign visitors with an Alien Registration Card and Korean residence, but without an official Korean government-approved vaccination certificate, may self-quarantine at home for 14 days.All other foreign short-term travellers without a Korean government-approved vaccination certificate must quarantine at a government-designated facility for 14 days. Individuals are required to pay a daily charge of 120,000KRW while in government quarantine facilities.

There is currently no charge for hospital/community centre treatment for British nationals testing positive for COVID-19. It is worth noting that individuals testing positive on arrival may spend over a month in hospital/community treatment centres before testing negative and being discharged.

Any travellers displaying symptoms or returning a positive test result for COVID-19 must comply with self-quarantine and treatment instructions issued by the Korean authorities. Failure to do so could result in imprisonment, deportation, the revocation of visas or residence permits and an entry ban, and the individual may be held liable for economic losses incurred by further transmission of the virus. The Ministry of Justice has made clear that this policy applies to foreign residents as well as short-term visitors.

*Data collection: Individuals from the UK will be tested for COVID-19 on arrival, and will need to participate with an active monitoring system via regular calls with a health expert and a specialised mobile App. Make sure you have with you a mobile telephone with the roaming function enabled, and/or the telephone number of a friend, relative or contact who can update the authorities daily on your state of health. A hotel telephone number will not be accepted. Immigration authorities will undertake a test call before travellers leave the airport, and any individual unable to verify their contact details may be denied entry to South Korea.

Internal Restrictions:

*Public spaces and services: Face masks are compulsory in public places and on public transport. Failure to wear a mask can result in a fine of up to 100,000 Korean Won. South Korea currently has a five-level national social distancing scale. For full details of the current restrictions and requirements you should check the South Korea Disease Control and prevention Agency (KDCA) and here Ministry of Health and Welfare websites (English). You can find information on any local variations in COVID-19 restrictions and requirements on metropolitan and provincial government websites as follows:

• Seoul Metropolitan government; • Busan Metropolitan City; • Daegu Metropolitan City; • Incheon Metropolitan City; • Gwangju City; • Daejeon Metropolitan City; • Ulsan Metropolitan City; • Sejong City; • North Chungcheong; • South Chungcheong; • Gangwon; • Gyeonggi; • North Gyeongsan; • South Gyeongsang; • North Jeolla; • South Jeolla; • Jeju.