Photo: Brady Bellini / Unsplash
Practical info for South Korea
Emergencies, embassy, entry requirements, money: the essentials before you go, with the official source and the date each piece of information was checked.
Embassy and entry requirements shown for travellers from: United Kingdom.
Emergency numbers
Official sources give different numbers for some services: each number is shown with its source.
- Policeaccording to France Diplomatie, 15/09/2026 ; according to GOV.UK, 14/05/2026 ; according to the French embassy, 13/04/2026 ; according to Poland's foreign ministry, 30/06/2026112
- Medical emergenciesaccording to France Diplomatie, 15/09/2026; according to GOV.UK, 14/05/2026; according to Poland's foreign ministry, 30/06/2026119
- Medical emergenciesaccording to the French embassy, 13/04/20261339
- Fire brigadeaccording to France Diplomatie, 15/09/2026 ; according to GOV.UK, 14/05/2026 ; according to the French embassy, 13/04/2026 ; according to Poland's foreign ministry, 30/06/2026119
Source: France Diplomatie, GOV.UK, French embassy, Portal das Comunidades Portuguesas, Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych RP · verified on 26/10/2026
Embassy and consulates
- British Embassy SeoulEmbassy
- Address
- Sejong-daero 19-gil 24, Seoul, Jung-gu, 04519, South Korea
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry use our contact form: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/south-korea/british-embassy-seoul
Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
Entry requirements
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included.
Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 14/05/2026 ›
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Safety and travel advice
The FCDO does not currently advise against travel to any part of this country.
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Currency and payments
Currency: South Korean won (KRW).
ECB reference rate on 26/10/2026: €1 = 1,482.72 KRW.
Source: SIX Group (ISO 4217), European Central Bank, EU Publications Office · verified on 26/10/2026
Time difference
Local time: UTC+09:00, +9 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026).
The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
Source: IANA (time zones) · verified on 26/10/2026
Driving
Traffic drives on the right.
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You’ll need to have both the 1949 international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence with you in the car when you drive in South Korea. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel.”
Source: GOV.UK, Korea Tourism Organization · verified on 26/10/2026
Mobile networks
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: LG Uplus (Sirocco); SK (Airalo); SK Telecom Co. Ltd (Sirocco); SKTelecom (Sirocco).
eSIM prices for South Korea
7 days, 5 GB · prices checked on 26/10/2026
3 brands compared, not an exhaustive listWhy this ranking?
Ranked by price: for each brand, the cheapest plan that covers 7 days and 5 GB.
Not an exhaustive comparison: 3 brands out of the dozens that sell eSIMs. The list of brands compared is in our Methodology.
eSIMeter is published by Mocom SAS, which sells Sirocco: the site is funded by those sales. No other brand pays us.
Frequently asked questions
What are the emergency numbers in South Korea?
Police: 112 (according to France Diplomatie, 15/09/2026 ; according to GOV.UK, 14/05/2026 ; according to the French embassy, 13/04/2026 ; according to Poland's foreign ministry, 30/06/2026) ; Medical emergencies: 119 (according to France Diplomatie, 15/09/2026; according to GOV.UK, 14/05/2026; according to Poland's foreign ministry, 30/06/2026) ; Medical emergencies: 1339 (according to the French embassy, 13/04/2026) ; Fire brigade: 119 (according to France Diplomatie, 15/09/2026 ; according to GOV.UK, 14/05/2026 ; according to the French embassy, 13/04/2026 ; according to Poland's foreign ministry, 30/06/2026). Official sources give different numbers for some services: each number is shown with its source.
How do I contact the embassy or consulate in South Korea?
British Embassy Seoul, Sejong-daero 19-gil 24, Seoul, Jung-gu, 04519, South Korea. Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
What are the entry requirements for South Korea?
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included. Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 14/05/2026.
What is the travel advice for South Korea?
The FCDO does not currently advise against travel to any part of this country.
What currency is used in South Korea?
Currency: South Korean won (KRW). ECB reference rate on 26/10/2026: €1 = 1,482.72 KRW.
What is the time difference in South Korea?
Local time: UTC+09:00, +9 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026). The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
What should I know about driving in South Korea?
Traffic drives on the right. Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You’ll need to have both the 1949 international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence with you in the car when you drive in South Korea. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel.”
Which mobile networks operate in South Korea?
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: LG Uplus (Sirocco); SK (Airalo); SK Telecom Co. Ltd (Sirocco); SKTelecom (Sirocco).