Coronavirus – South Korea travel advice

coronavirus travel health

Check the TravelHealthPro website for the latest information on the risk of COVID-19 in South Korea.

For further advice on travelling abroad and reducing the spread of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic, see the TravelHealthPro website.

You should contact your local authority for information on testing facilities. Testing is also available at the COVID-19 Testing Center at Incheon Airport, Gimhae Airport (Busan), and Jeju Airport. The Incheon Airport COVID-19 Testing Center and some private hospitals can release test results in English.

international travel

Korean Air and Asiana Airlines operate direct flights between London and Seoul, but at the request of Heathrow, both airlines have announced the suspension of ticket sales for flights from London in summer 2022. Asiana Airlines is suspended until at least August 7, and Korean Air is suspended until September 11. These dates are subject to change and you should confirm with the airline before booking and travelling.

There are no restrictions based on nationality and visa type for scheduled flights, but for some specially organized (or “unscheduled”) flights, such restrictions still exist. Flights from London to Seoul operated by Korean Air and Asiana Airlines in addition to their scheduled services will be subject to these restrictions. Such “unscheduled” flights are uncommon, but airlines may offer them when demand is high. Some airlines and most third-party flight booking sites do not highlight which flights have nationality or visa restrictions during the booking process. If you have booked a flight you are not eligible for, your airline will usually try to contact you a few days in advance in order to transfer you to another flight. The best way to check if you are eligible for the flight you want is to contact your airline to confirm before booking. Passengers who do not meet the flight conditions may be refused check-in even if they have purchased a ticket. For more information on Korean Air flight restrictions, please visit their COVID-19 flight status page.

You should be aware of the quarantine requirements upon entry. Please see entry requirements.

entrances and borders

See entry requirements for what you need to do when you arrive in Korea.

Back to the UK

Be prepared to change plans

During COVID, no travel is risk-free. Countries may further restrict travel or introduce new rules at short notice, for example due to new COVID-19 variants. Check with your travel company or airline about any transportation changes that may delay your return home.

If you test positive for COVID-19, you will need to be in an isolation facility or hospital for 7 days. This can seriously delay your travel plans. See testing positive for COVID-19 below.

If you’re traveling to South Korea, plan ahead and make sure you:

• Sufficient funds are available to cover unexpected expenses related to COVID-19
• Find out what your insurance will cover
• Arrangements can be made to extend your stay and leave for longer than planned

Tested positive for COVID-19

If you think you may have contracted COVID-19 while in Korea, you should immediately self-isolate and contact the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at 1339 for guidance (support is available in English). Locations where you can get a free test are common in most cities. If you are eligible for a PCR test, you will usually receive your results by text message within 1-2 days. If you are not eligible for a PCR test, you will be tested for an antigen, which provides results in about 30 minutes.

If you test positive for COVID-19, you must follow the instructions for self-isolation and treatment issued by South Korean authorities. South Korean authorities have made it clear that if you are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, you can generally be isolated and treated at home unless you cannot adequately isolate yourself from others. You will be transferred to an isolation center or hospital/treatment center if deemed necessary by the Korean authorities. Your current stay in an isolation centre or medical treatment at a hospital/treatment centre is free as long as you have not violated any quarantine measures. Fully vaccinated individuals are typically required to isolate for 7 days (either at home or in a facility). South Korean health authorities generally have broad discretion to apply the rules as they see fit. If you have to reschedule your trip, you may face additional charges from the travel provider.

Anyone who develops symptoms or returns a positive COVID-19 test result must follow the self-isolation and treatment instructions issued by South Korean authorities. Failure to do so may result in imprisonment, deportation, revocation of visa or residence permit and entry ban, and you may be responsible for the cost of treatment and any financial loss caused by the further spread of the virus. The Justice Department has made it clear that the policy applies to foreign residents and short-term visitors.

public spaces and services

Masks must be worn indoors and on public transport. Failure to wear a mask can result in a fine of up to KRW 100,000 (£62).

For full details on current restrictions and requirements, you should check the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare website (in English). You can find information about any local differences in COVID-19 restrictions and requirements on the following city and provincial government websites:

healthcare in korea

Make sure you have up-to-date, comprehensive health insurance.

Please visit our Korean medical overview.

Your emotional and mental health is important.Read our guide on how to take care of your mental health and mental health

Check out Health for more details on Korean healthcare.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government website (in English) also provides a list of COVID-19 screening facilities in the Seoul metropolitan area.

If you are in South Korea, you can call the Korean authorities’ hotline 1339, which provides information on COVID-19 issues in English.

Get the COVID-19 vaccine if you live in South Korea

South Korea’s national vaccination program began in February 2021 and is using vaccines from AstraZeneca, Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and Novavax. British nationals living in South Korea are eligible for the vaccine.

All adults (including pregnant women) and children between the ages of 5 and 17 in South Korea now have the opportunity to book a vaccination. People 18 and older can make an appointment to receive a booster shot. You should visit the KDCA website or contact KDCA from Korea on 1339 (support in English) for advice on how to book vaccinations.

If you have been vaccinated outside of the Korean vaccination system, you can bring your quarantine exemption certificate or your ID card and vaccination certificate to your local community health center to register your vaccination details with the Korean authorities. This will allow you to certify your vaccination status (see “Prove your COVID-19 vaccination status in South Korea” below) and receive a booster shot. You can only register your vaccination details this way if you have had a World Health Organization (WHO)-approved vaccine. (All vaccines used in the UK are approved by the World Health Organization.) For more information, you should contact KDCA from South Korea on 1339 (support in English) for advice.

If you are a British national living in South Korea, you should seek medical advice from your local healthcare provider. Information about the planned use of the COVID-19 vaccine in your country of residence, including regulatory status, should be obtained from local authorities.

Prove your COVID-19 vaccination status in South Korea

You can certify your COVID-19 vaccination status in Korea using the COOV app on your smartphone (if you have a Korean SIM card) or an equivalent paper certificate issued by the Korean Community Health Center. Your vaccine pass is only valid for six months after your most recent dose of the vaccine. Q-Codes received through the Quarantine COVID19 Defense (Q-Code) system for quarantine exemption purposes will not be accepted as proof of vaccination status for other purposes.

If you were vaccinated outside Korea, you should bring your ID and proof of vaccination to your local community health center to register your vaccination; you can then use the COOV app (if you have a Korean SIM card) and Receive a paper certificate. For this purpose, local community health centres will accept UK COVID-19 recovery certificates and vaccination records. The NHS appointment card you get from a vaccination centre is not intended to be used as proof of vaccination and should not be used to certify your vaccination status.

You can also contact KDCA from South Korea on 1339 (support in English) for advice on how to register your vaccination details.

Apart from registering your vaccinations with Korean authorities, the UK’s COVID-19 Recovery Certificate and Vaccination Record Certificate are not officially accepted within South Korea.

finance

For information on the financial support you can get while abroad, visit our Financial Aid Guide.

help and support

If you need urgent consular assistance, please contact your nearest British embassy, ​​high commission or consulate. All phone numbers are available 24/7.

More information

For more advice and details on confirmed cases, visit the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare’s website in English and Korean. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KDCA) also provides daily updates in English and Korean.