South Korea profile
Asia · 12 indices with data
A summary of where South Korea stands across our published indices — every score normalised 0–100, with its global rank.
South Korea (Asia) has data on 12/14 PI indices. Strongest relative position: Passport Index — #2/198 (96.8/100). Passport rank #2/198. Global Citizenship Score 78.2/100 (#24/199).
Tier 1 · Core
Tier 2 · Premium
Tier 3 · Signature
Entering South Korea
Of 197 passports with data, 22 are visa-free, 0 get a visa on arrival, 88 use an eTA, 0 need an e-Visa and 87 need a consular visa.
The South Korea passport can reach 203 destinations without applying for a consular visa in advance.
Immigration authority: Ministry of Justice / Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea (K-ETA / HiKorea) · Last checked: 15 Oct 2026
Regional position and data sources
Comparison with countries and territories in the same region that have data for each index. Regional rank uses descending scores; ties share a rank. Asia.
| Indices | Score (0–100) | Regional median | Regional rank | Data date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passport Index | 96.8 | 21.6 | #2 / 51 | 2026-10-15 | An in-house bilateral visa matrix, taken from each destination government's own source. 2026-10-15 |
| Quality of Life Index | 82.3 | 65.7 | #5 / 50 | 2026-09-14 | UNDP + UN SDG Global Database + World Bank governance indicators (CC-BY). 2026-09-14 |
| Cost of Living Index | 65.5 | 77.8 | #39 / 49 | 2026-08-28 | World Bank ICP + World Bank WDI + inflation (CC-BY). 2026-08-28 |
| Education Index | 87.8 | 65.9 | #2 / 48 | 2026-09-14 | World Bank WDI + Human Capital Index (CC-BY). 2026-09-14 |
| Global Safety Index | 88.7 | 69.0 | #7 / 50 | 2026-09-14 | UNODC + World Bank governance indicators + WHO + UCDP armed-conflict data (CC-BY). 2026-09-14 |
| Healthcare Index | 78.0 | 56.0 | #2 / 47 | 2026-08-28 | World Bank WDI + UN universal health coverage indicator (CC-BY). 2026-08-28 |
| Tax Freedom Index | 41.2 | 79.1 | #43 / 44 | 2026-09-14 | OECD Tax Database + national tax authorities (tax-rate table compiled by us). 2026-09-14 |
| Wealth Protection Index | 77.6 | 53.6 | #7 / 50 | 2026-09-14 | World Bank governance indicators + inflation + banking-system soundness (non-performing loans, capital adequacy) — CC-BY. 2026-09-14 |
| Family Relocation Score | 82.4 | 62.5 | #4 / 49 | 2026-10-15 | Composite of Prosperous Intelligence component index scores. 2026-10-15 |
| Global Citizenship Score | 78.2 | 54.6 | #7 / 49 | 2026-10-15 | Composite of Prosperous Intelligence component index scores. 2026-10-15 |
| Investment Migration ROI | 76.0 | 46.0 | #3 / 13 | 2026-10-15 | Investment programme table (government sources) + the Passport Index. 2026-10-15 |
| Retirement Destination Index | 73.1 | 68.0 | #16 / 49 | 2026-10-15 | Composite of Prosperous Intelligence component index scores. 2026-10-15 |
Passport strength components
- Visa-free
- 162 destinations
- Visa on arrival
- 26 destinations
- eTA
- 15 destinations
- e-Visa
- 30 destinations
e-Visa is shown for comparison but does not contribute to passport strength.
Citizenship and residence programmes in the dataset
Only records marked active/new in the data snapshot are shown; this does not confirm that a policy remains in force today. USD amounts are reference conversions, not total costs or quotes. Check the government source before using them.
| Programme | Type | Status in the dataset | Minimum converted capital (USD) | Source checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-8 Corporate Investment (D-8-1) & D-8-4 Tech Startup | BIZ | active | 72,000 | 2026-08-26 |
| Workation Visa (F-1-D) | NOMAD | active | — | 2026-06-25 |
| Tourism & Leisure Facility (Real Estate) Investment Immigration - F-2 / F-5 | RBI | active | 720,000 | 2026-08-26 |
| Startup Visa D-8-4 (OASIS) | STARTUP | active | — | 2026-06-25 |
Considering South Korea as a second option?
See where the South Korea passport can go or compare it with another country on the same scale.
