Seoul

K-ETA waived through 2026

Korea has extended its temporary K-ETA exemption from 1 January to 31 December 2026 for 67 countries and territories, including the US, UK, most of the EU, Canada, Australia, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan. No extension beyond 2026 has been announced, so check your nationality at k-eta.go.kr.

e-Arrival Card is mandatory

Since 1 January 2026, foreign visitors must submit the free e-Arrival Card at e-arrivalcard.go.kr within 72 hours before arrival and show the QR code at immigration. Paper cards have been discontinued for most visitors. Valid K-ETA holders are exempt.

Skip the e-Arrival Card and you'll queue

Travellers who have not filed the e-Arrival Card are sent to self-service kiosks at the airport, which can mean long waits at peak times.

Bukchon Hanok Village curfew

In the Bukchon-ro 11-gil 'red zone', tourists are barred from 5pm to 10am, with fines of up to ₩100,000. Residents and hanok-stay guests are exempt. Other lanes are monitored, so keep your voice down.

Use Naver Map or KakaoMap

Google Maps still lacks full walking and driving directions in Korea, and locals rely on Naver and Kakao. Korea has approved exporting map data to Google under strict conditions, but no date has been set for full navigation.

WOWPASS: prepaid card plus T-money

WOWPASS is a prepaid card you can use at Korean shops that accept local cards, and it has a built-in T-money transit function. The T-money balance is topped up separately from the WOWPASS balance.

One card for subway and bus

With WOWPASS's T-money function, or a standalone T-money card, you can tap through subways and buses without buying separate tickets.