Asia and Oceania

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

Travel Summary

• On 25 May 2009 North Korea carried out an underground nuclear test. North Korea has also test-launched a number of short-range missiles. On 27 May North Korea said that it regarded South Korean membership of the US-led Proliferation Security Initiative as an act of aggression and would no longer be bound by the terms of the 1953 Armistice Agreement, although it has said this before. Tensions on and around the Korean peninsula are heightened but there is no evidence of any increased risk or danger to those living in or travelling to South Korea. Please see the Political Situation section of this travel advice for more information.
  
  
• Following the funeral of former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, who died on 29 May 2009, there continue to be gatherings of supporters in central Seoul, protesting against the current government. Large crowds, particularly in the evenings and at weekends, are possible and there could be disruption to transport. Please see the Political Situation section of this advice for more information.
  

• Thereare confirmed human cases of the A (H1N1) virus (swine flu) in Kiribati. See the health section of this advice for more details. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its pandemic threat alert phase to Level 6. The WHO website has further details. You should monitor local media reports for any further developments and advice. There is a dedicated swine flu page on the FCO website. Guidance on pandemic flu is available on the UK Department of Health website. The responsibility for deploying resources to combat and cascade warnings about swine flu now rests with local governments so travellers may want to check the current advice with the regional authorities in the areas they are travelling or plan to travel to.
  
  
• It is recommended that if you come to South Korea for longer than two weeks you should register with the Consular Section of the British Embassy. You should also follow developments in the region closely. See the general (registering with the British Embassy) section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• It is not possible to enter North Korea from South Korea, unless making an official visit to the Kaesong Industrial Complex.
• There is a low threat from terrorism, but you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• The typhoon/tropical storm season in South Korea normally runs from June to November. See the natural disasters section of this advice and tropical cyclones for more details.
  
  
• Many British nationals visit South Korea every year. Most visits are trouble-free. 16 British nationals required consular assistance in the Republic of Korea in the period 01 April 2008 – 31 March 2009 for the following types of incident; deaths (4 cases), hospitalisations (3 cases), and arrests, for a variety of offences (4 cases). During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (29 cases).
  
  
• We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. See the general (insurance) section of this advice and travel insurance for more details.