Tourist Virtual Welcome Packet

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Are you traveling to South Korea and want to know more before you arrive? You have come to the right place. The following information supports tourists traveling in South Korea

How To Use the Virtual Welcome Packet

First, read the Intro to the Tourist Virtual Welcome Packet in order to understand how volunteers compile the information for South of Seoul Welcome Packets. This somewhat dry and boring introduction actually contains very useful information for getting the most out of the South of Seoul blog posts.

Second, move to the header which interests you. Below each header exists boxes of content organized by tabs. Click on each tab to discover articles for that sub-topic.

Arriving At Incheon Airport

When you arrive in South Korea you will first go through immigration at the airport. The following information pertains to those arriving at South Korean international airports located on the mainland. Immigration for Jeju Island may follow different processes.

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Manned v. Unmanned Gates

Arriving at immigration in South Korea you may find both Manned and Unmanned Gates for processing arrivals. You may also see those of non-Korean ethnicity using the Unmanned gates marked for Korean Nationals. Let’s take a look at who can use the Manned v. Unmanned Gates in South Korea.

Both citizens and registered foreign residents of South Korea may use the Automated Immigration lines for Korean Nationals. This means that residents of South Korea may return to South Korea by simply scanning their passport which is registered with South Korean Immigration.

COVID-19 Related Rules and Procedures

Choosing and Booking Accommodations in South Korea

Types of Accommodations

South Korea offers many different types of accommodations. Some facilities mirror western places to stay while others have a very unique Korean aesthetic or experience. Below you will find tabbed content that takes a deeper look into different types of accommodations for tourists in South Korea and how to book such accommodations.

Booking Places to Stay: Options for International Tourists

More and more Korean accommodation providers have begun to use international booking sites. However, the marriage between international booking sites and Korean accommodation providers remains complicated. Issues exist for a few reasons:

  1. Amenities differ: The standard options for western tourist accommodations often remain in conflict with Korean culture. For example, in South Korea rooms without western-style beds remain common but this can not easily be noted on western accommodation sites.
  2. Communication remains complicated: Simply because the international website offers an English interface does not mean the accommodation management team knows English. This may cause many different issues.
  3. Expectations differ: Many of the standardized elements of westernized accommodation sites imply things like the included breakfast caters to a westernized taste. One can not assume that “breakfast included” will be bacon and eggs no matter what the icon looks like.

Additionally, accommodation websites created by international companies have high fees which may mean such websites may have higher prices. That said, due to issues regarding payment processing on Korean-developed accommodation sites, non-Korean residents may only be able to book places to stay on such international accommodation platforms.

Booking Places to Stay: Options for Local Tourists

Accommodation websites developed in Korea offer far more options with better rates than internationally developed websites. Tourists can find special locations that cater to pets and extensive glamping and camping options.

However, such websites often only have a Hangul interface and may only accept local payment options. However, books on such websites may be possible through English/Korean-speaking concierge services. International travelers may be able to leverage such companies to book more uniquely Korean travel experiences.

Tickets and Events

South Korea has many events

Purchasing Tickets and Passes: Options for International Travelers

Purchasing Tickets and Passes: Options for Korean Travelers

Transportation Around South Korea

Subway Systems

Train Services

Bus Systems

Ferry System

Rental Cars

Money Across Korea