East Asia

Is South Korea safe?

Capital: SeoulKorean, EnglishUpdated October 2026

L1Exercise normal precautions

Very safe with low violent crime. Fast traffic, rowdy nightlife and summer floods are the real risks; North Korea tensions rarely affect visitors.

Key facts

US travel advisory: Level 1: Exercise normal precautions, updated 2025-05-27.
Homicide rate: 0.5 per 100,000 people (2023, UNODC via World Bank).
Road deaths: 8.6 per 100,000 people a year (2019, WHO).
Emergency numbers: Police 112 · Ambulance 119 · Fire 119 · Tourist police 1330.
Solo women: Safe alone at night in cities. Hidden-camera crimes in toilets and drink spiking in clubs are the issues most often reported.

Friendly 'survey' or tea invitations in Seoul often lead to religious recruitment
Unlicensed airport taxis overcharging new arrivals

Drugs, including cannabis, mean jail and deportation; some ADHD and sleep medicines need pre-approval.
Jaywalking and smoking outside designated areas can bring on-the-spot fines.

Very safe with low violent crime. Fast traffic, rowdy nightlife and summer floods are the real risks; North Korea tensions rarely affect visitors.

Safe alone at night in cities. Hidden-camera crimes in toilets and drink spiking in clubs are the issues most often reported.

Police 112 · Ambulance 119 · Fire 119 · Tourist police 1330.

Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.