Planning Your Visit to Korea

Visa

Since September 2021, K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) is required in advance to all arrivals in Korea. Please make sure that you have an approved K-ETA before you start your travel to Korea. Please visit K-ETA website for more information.

As of the beginning of 2014, citizens of the United States, Japan, and most European countries (including Russia effective January 1, 2014) do not need a visa to enter Korea for short periods, and this has not been changed. However, Chinese citizens must obtain a visa for visits of any duration.

Please double-check whether you need to obtain a visa by checking at the link below:

https://www.visa.go.kr/openPage.do?MENU_ID=10107

Starting in 2018, you must obtain the following visa types if you are supported by IBS.

Financial Support Method VISA Type
Honorarium Reimbursement (wire transfer)** C-4*
(Short-term employment)
Transportation
(e.g. flight)		 Reimbursement (wire transfer)**
IBS card payment*** C-3-1
(Short-term general)

For more details regarding VISA type,

  1. Go to https://www.visa.go.kr/openPage.do?MENU_ID=10101.
  2. Select `Continent', `Country/Region', `Length of Stay' and `Purpose of Entry'.
    • For C-4, select `Professional' as `Purpose of Entry'.
    • For C-3-1, select `Short Term Visit' as `Purpose of Entry'.
  3. Click `Visa Navigator START'.

* If you visit IBS-CGP for less than 7 days, you are exempted from getting a C-4 visa even if you need to get reimbursement by wire transfer. For more details, please contact your visitor coordinator.

** Note: Due to IBS regulations, when IBS-CGP purchases your flight tickets (a round trip between the visitor’s home institute and IBS-CGP), for any other reasons beside natural disasters and extreme circumstances, the cancellation/change fee will charge to the visitor by paying the fee back to IBS.

***There might be tax issues according to the taxation agreement between Korea and the visitor’s country (permanent residency). Many countries don’t have tax issues for short-term visit (less than 180 days of visit per year), however, for US citizens or permanent residents of the United States, based on the US-Korea taxation agreement, we are required to withhold taxes if the amount we pay you is over USD 3,000 including the reimbursement of expenses (airfare, etc.). Please contact your visitor coordinator for the details.

Electrical Plug and Voltage

The standard voltage in Korea is 220 volts/60 hertz. The outlet has two round holes and is the same type used in countries such as France, Germany, Greece, and Turkey. If your electrical device does not support 220 volts, you must bring a multi-voltage travel adapter. You may purchase one at a duty-free shop or a convenience store at Incheon International Airport or at the stationery shop on POSTECH campus.

Weather

The Republic of Korea has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons: cold winters, hot summers, and sunny and generally dry transition seasons – spring and fall. The annual mean temperature ranges from 10°C to 16°C. August is the hottest month (mean temperature 23-27°C), and January is the coldest month (mean temperature -6-7°C).

Annual precipitation ranges from 1,000 mm to 1,800 mm. More than half of the total rainfall is concentrated in the summer season, especially in late June. The relative humidity is the highest in July (80-90%) and the lowest in January and April (30-50%).

Visit the Korea Meteorological Administration Website at http://web.kma.go.kr/eng/index.jsp for current weather information.

Further Information

You can find more information about visiting Korea at the following websites: