Plugs and voltage
South Korea uses Types C and F sockets. Mains supply is 220 V at 60 Hz.
At 220 V, devices made only for 100–127 V (many American and Japanese hair dryers, curling irons and some shavers) will be damaged without a step-down converter. Chargers labelled “100–240V” work fine with just a plug adapter.
Adapter guides: from United States · from Australia · from China · from Japan
Money
₩ South Korean Won KRW
| 1 USD | 1,335 KRW |
|---|---|
| 1 EUR | 1,492 KRW |
| 1 GBP | 1,789 KRW |
| 1 JPY | 8.49 KRW |
Price level 62 (US = 100, 2025)
Everyday household prices in South Korea are about 62% of US prices when converted at market exchange rates: dearer than the median country (50). All countries
Language
- Koreanofficial100%
Bars show the share of the population that speaks each language (CLDR estimates).
Time
South Korea is on UTC+9, with no daylight saving time.
Driving
Traffic in South Korea drives on the right, so the steering wheel is on the left.
Public holidays in the next 12 months
23 national public holidays from 2 November 2026. Banks, offices and many shops close; regional holidays are not shown. Dates marked “estimated” follow a lunar calendar and can move by a day.
December 2026
- Christmas Day
January 2027
- New Year's Day
February 2027
- The day preceding Korean New Year
- Korean New Year
- The second day of Korean New Year
- Alternative holiday for Korean New Year
March 2027
- Independence Movement Day
May 2027
- Labor Day
- Alternative holiday for Labor Day
- Children's Day
- Buddha's Birthday
June 2027
- Memorial Day
July 2027
- Constitution Day
- Alternative holiday for Constitution Day
August 2027
- Liberation Day
- Alternative holiday for Liberation Day
September 2027
- The day preceding Chuseok
- Chuseok
- The second day of Chuseok
October 2027
- National Foundation Day
- Alternative holiday for National Foundation Day
- Hangul Day
- Alternative holiday for Hangul Day
Travel advisories
United States · State Department
Level 1 Exercise normal precautions
Read the full advisory. Checked 2026-11-02.
United Kingdom · FCDO
No warnings The FCDO does not advise against travel to South Korea.
Updated 2026-05-14. Read the full advice. Checked 2026-11-02.
Advisories are written for each government's own citizens and change without notice: read the original before you travel.
Other practical facts
- Calling code
- +82
- Internet domain
- .kr
- Measurement
- Metric
- Paper size
- A4
- Week starts on
- Sunday
- Read more
- Wikipedia
More in Eastern Asia
Flag: Flag of South Korea.svg, Public domain. Arms: Emblem of South Korea.svg, Public domain. Electricity: resolved by intl.life from three sources, see methodology.
