This file photo shows foreign tourists in South Korea. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Korea Bizwire) – A recent study has revealed that foreign visitors on working holiday visas in South Korea stay an average of 8.5 months, embark on 5.6 domestic trips, and spend about 970,000 won per month.
These findings come from a report titled “K-Working Holiday: Why Choose Korea?” published on September 25 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).
The working holiday program, based on bilateral agreements, allows young people to stay in a foreign country for a specified period while engaging in employment to fund their travels. South Korea currently has such agreements with 25 countries, including Australia, Canada, and Japan.
From 2005 to 2023, Japanese nationals topped the list of working holiday visa holders entering South Korea, with 34,656 visitors. They were followed by Taiwan (10,721), France (8,491), Hong Kong (4,609), and Germany (3,174). Notably, French participation has surged from just 74 visitors in 2009 to 2,070 in 2023.
The study, conducted over two weeks in May, surveyed and interviewed about 300 current and former working holiday visa holders in South Korea. It explored their reasons for choosing the country, travel patterns, employment and living conditions, and overall satisfaction.
The primary reason for selecting South Korea was its positive image, cited by 15.4% of respondents. This was followed by a desire to experience Korean culture (12.1%) and the perception of South Korea as a safe country for foreigners (9.2%).
Most participants (60.7%) spent between three to six months preparing for their working holiday, with the majority (46.2%) planning to stay for six to nine months.
The survey found that working holiday makers typically earn between 1 million to 1.5 million won per month. Housing costs consumed the largest portion of their income at 33%, followed by food and beverages (20.3%) and living expenses (16.3%).
During their stay, 43.3% of respondents traveled within Korea, averaging 5.64 trips in total. Day trips were most common to Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, and Incheon, while overnight stays were popular in Busan, Jeju Island, and North Gyeongsang Province. Travel satisfaction was high, with 83.1% expressing contentment.
Korean food (16.4%), music (12.5%), and dramas (12.1%) were the most appealing aspects of Korean culture to participants. About a third (31.1%) engaged in Korean cultural experience programs during their stay.
Overall satisfaction with the Korean working holiday experience was high, with 80.3% of respondents expressing satisfaction and 84.3% saying they would recommend it to others. However, the survey also indicated room for improvement in areas such as fostering working holiday maker communities and enhancing promotion of the program.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
