Safety in South Korea: what overland travellers should know
Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 30 December 2025.
Safety
- The DMZ is closed — Particular caution is needed near the demarcation line between the two Koreas, the 38th parallel, which is normally not open to tourists. The exception is the Panmunjeom crossing point, which can be visited on group excursions officially approved by the local authorities.
- Minefields behind the line — South of the DMZ there is a belt 5 to 20 km wide, the Northern District to the Civilian Control Line, that you can only enter with authorisation. Inside it you must stick strictly to the authorised routes and to the authorities' instructions, because of the many minefields.
- North-South tensions — The armistice in place since 1953 alternates phases of tension and détente, and there have been limited skirmishes between the two armies in the past that could recur close to the border. The ministry describes the security situation in the country as stable at present.
- Police and CCTV — Police presence is dense in the cities and in the provinces, with many neighbourhood posts, and CCTV surveillance is everywhere. Officers often do not speak foreign languages.
- Typhoons and quakes — The country has historically suffered from typhoons, particularly in the southern region, and the phenomenon has been increasing in recent years. The south-east is exposed to moderate seismic activity.
Before you rely on this
This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 30 December 2025. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for South Korea before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.
Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 30 December 2025. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.