This file photo from June 5, 2024, shows travelers at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s passport ranks third globally in terms of travel freedom, granting visa-free access to 192 destinations, according to the 2025 Henley Passport Index released on January 9 by UK-based citizenship advisory firm Henley & Partners.
South Korea shares its third-place position with Finland, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The country has consistently maintained its place in the upper echelons of the ranking, having risen to second in 2021 before stabilizing in third.
Singapore retained the top spot with visa-free access to 195 destinations, followed by Japan with 193. Fourth place, with access to 191 destinations, was shared by Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Norway.
The United States slipped two spots to ninth, offering visa-free travel to 186 destinations, tied with Estonia. Russia ranked 46th (116 destinations), while China stood at 60th (85 destinations). North Korea remained in the lower tiers at 99th, with visa-free access to 41 destinations. Afghanistan ranked last at 106th, with just 26 destinations accessible without a visa.
The Henley Passport Index compiles its rankings based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), measuring the number of destinations passport holders can access without a visa or with a visa-on-arrival option.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
