May 2025
Writer. Sung Ji Yeon
The number of tourists visiting Korea has surpassed pre-COVID levels. As many tourists primarily visit Seoul and the Gyeonggi-do Province region, both local governments have implemented policies to make travel more comfortable for visitors.
In a joint effort to ensure the safety of foreign tourists, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Gyeonggi-do Province have introduced dedicated travel insurance services for foreign travelers visiting Korea. This initiative aims to provide peace of mind and added protection throughout their stay.
The insurance programs vary in cost, coverage and eligibility criteria depending on the region, making it essential for visitors to review the specific offerings based on their travel destinations.
In Seoul, the service targets foreign group tourists visiting through Korean travel agencies, as well as international stopover visitors who spend more than 24 hours in Seoul after arriving at Incheon International Airport.
Tourists who are not already insured will be eligible to receive a subsidy of up to KRW 5,000 per person toward the cost of enrolling in a travel insurance plan. The plan provides coverage of up to KRW 100 million for accidental death and permanent disability, up to KRW 20 million for death or permanent disability due to illness, liability protection of up to KRW 20 million and compensation of up to KRW 300,000 for lost or damaged personal belongings.
To access the service, travelers must be part of a group arranged by a local or international travel agency. Agencies may contact the Korean customer service center at +82-2-1833-9608 for guidance on enrollment procedures, accident reporting, claims processing and compensation. Support is available in English and Chinese.
Meanwhile, Gyeonggi-do Province offers an automatically enrolled travel insurance plan for international tourists, excluding long-term residents in Korea. There is no cost for enrollment.
This insurance is specifically designed to offer coverage in the event of injuries caused by political or social incidents during travel, such as protests. If such an incident occurs, travelers may file for compensation by submitting the necessary documentation. Coverage includes medical expenses for injuries up to KRW 1 million per person, disaster-related relief payments up to KRW 300,000 per person (excluding infectious diseases) and injury compensation for non-traffic-related accidents up to KRW 100,000 per person.
For inquiries, travelers may call +82-2-2078-4540. Multilingual assistance is available in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese.
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