Safest cities in South Korea
27 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in South KoreaAlthough there’s no recent history of terrorism in South Korea, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Political situation
- National serviceIf you are a British male of Korean origin whose name appears on the Korean family register, you may be liable for military service even if you are travelling on your British passport.
- DemonstrationsPublic demonstrations in South Korea are common, particularly at times of elevated political tensions. These gatherings are mostly peaceful and well-policed. Be aware that under Korean law, it is illegal for foreign nationals to take part in political activities when in the country. While in South Korea, pay attention to media reporting on…
Civil emergency exercises and advice
- Contingency planningThe government’s Emergency Ready App, available on iOS and Android, explains the possible civil emergency alerts which would be pushed to your mobile in an emergency.
Crime
- Crime against foreigners is rare but there are occasional thefts. Take extra care of passports, credit cards and money in crowded areas and in areas visited by foreigners, such as Itaewon.
Laws and cultural differences
- Personal IDIt is a legal requirement to carry some form of identification, but people are rarely asked to show it.
- Illegal drugs and prison sentencesIf you’re convicted of possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs you can face a long jail sentence and heavy fines. This applies even to personal use of small amounts of marijuana. British nationals have been detained solely on the basis of drug tests.
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive in South Korea, see information on driving abroad and read the Korea Tourism Organization’s driving in Korea guidance. The guide lists driving regulations and other legal requirements you need to be aware of.
- TaxisTaxi drivers tend to speak little or no English. It is helpful to have your destination written in Korean – if possible with a map.
Extreme weather and natural disasters
- TyphoonsThe typhoon season normally runs from June to November. Monitor the progress of approaching storms with the Korea Meteorological Administration or call 131 in Korea to get an accurate weather forecast in English. Always follow any advice given by the local authorities.
- Flooding and landslidesSouth Korea has heavy rainfall across the country during the summer rainy season, usually in June and July. Torrential rain may cause flooding near rivers and creeks, including in built-up areas. Flash floods are common in areas downstream from large reservoirs or rivers, even after relatively short periods of intense rainfall. Landslides are…
- EarthquakesStrong earthquakes are unusual in South Korea but do happen. Most earthquakes in South Korea are relatively weak. The Korea Meteorological Administration publishes information on earthquakes.
- Forest firesForest fires may occur in South Korea. Pay attention to warnings from local authorities and follow any safety instructions that they issue. Korean-language emergency alerts will automatically be sent to your mobile phone if you are in an affected area, and English-language translations of emergency alerts can be accessed on the National Disaster…
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for South Korea, updated 2026-05-14 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 0.49 /100k2024
- Income inequality
- Gini 32.92021
- Human development
- HDI 0.9372023
- Income
- $64,210/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 8.6 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 77/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 76/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 63/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 2.0/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.81GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 21.9 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- 99%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 2.6 doctors /1k12.8 hospital beds per 1,000
- Malaria
- 0 /1k at riskWHO, 2024 · endemic countries only
Natural hazards
- Cyclone
- 8.3/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Flood
- 7.1/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Earthquake
- 6.9/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Tsunami
- 5.6/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in South Korea (as of 2025).
How South Korea compares
| Measure | South Korea | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 0.5 /100k | 2.4 /100k | −1.9 /100k — better for South Korea |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 32.9 | 35.2 | −2.3 — better for South Korea |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.937 | 0.763 | +0.174 — better for South Korea |
| Road deaths | 8.6 /100k | 15.4 /100k | −6.8 /100k — better for South Korea |
| Rule of law | 76/100 | 52/100 | +24/100 — better for South Korea |
| Corruption perceptions | 63/100 | 39/100 | +24/100 — better for South Korea |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 21.9 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | +2.2 µg/m³ — better for World median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 2.0/10 | 3.8/10 | −1.8/10 — better for South Korea |
| Measure | South Korea | Asia median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 0.5 /100k | 1.8 /100k | −1.3 /100k — better for South Korea |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 32.9 | 33.6 | −0.7 — better for South Korea |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.937 | 0.766 | +0.171 — better for South Korea |
| Road deaths | 8.6 /100k | 15.3 /100k | −6.7 /100k — better for South Korea |
| Rule of law | 76/100 | 52/100 | +24/100 — better for South Korea |
| Corruption perceptions | 63/100 | 35/100 | +29/100 — better for South Korea |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 21.9 µg/m³ | 28.6 µg/m³ | −6.7 µg/m³ — better for South Korea |
| Natural-hazard risk | 2.0/10 | 3.7/10 | −1.7/10 — better for South Korea |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.
All 27 cities, safest first
- Daegu85.9 · #141 worldwide
- Daejeon85.9 · #142 worldwide
- Gwangju85.9 · #143 worldwide
- Ulsan85.9 · #144 worldwide
- Cheongju-si85.9 · #145 worldwide
- Changwon85.9 · #146 worldwide
- Jeonju85.9 · #147 worldwide
- Cheonan-si85.9 · #148 worldwide
- Pohang-si85.9 · #149 worldwide
- Gumi-si85.9 · #150 worldwide
- Mokpo-si85.9 · #151 worldwide
- Jinju-si85.9 · #152 worldwide
- Chuncheon85.9 · #153 worldwide
- Wonju85.9 · #154 worldwide
- Gunsan-si85.9 · #155 worldwide
- Iksan-si85.9 · #156 worldwide
- Dongducheon85.9 · #157 worldwide
- Suncheon-si85.9 · #158 worldwide
- Pyeongtaek85.9 · #159 worldwide
- Gangneung85.9 · #160 worldwide
- Chungju-si85.9 · #161 worldwide
- Busan85.8 · #162 worldwide
- Gimhae85.8 · #163 worldwide
- Yangsan85.8 · #164 worldwide
- Seoul83.4 · #459 worldwide
- Gimpo83.4 · #460 worldwide
- Hwado83.4 · #461 worldwide