North Korea vs South Korea Passport Comparison

North Korea flag

North Korea

ASIA

94
Rank
Visa-Free Access36 countries

The North Korea passport currently offers limited travel mobility for its holders, with a visa-free or visa-on-arrival count of 36 destinations. According to the lates...

South Korea flag

South Korea

ASIA

2
Rank
Visa-Free Access187 countries

The South Korea passport remains one of the most powerful travel documents globally, consistently securing a top-tier position in global passport ranking data. As of 2...

North Korea vs South Korea Passport Comparison Overview (2026)

This comparison analyzes visa-free access, ranking trends, and mobility metrics for North Korea vs South Korea. South Korea currently leads this comparison with 187 visa-free destinations, while North Korea has 36. Use the detailed sections below to compare practical travel access and historical changes.

  • 9 visa-free destinations are shared by all compared passports.
  • The largest exclusive advantage is 126 destination(s) unique to one passport in this comparison.
  • Ranking and access figures are rendered from country ranking history with a 2026-first year preference.
North KoreaSouth KoreaPassport Validity CheckerSchengen 90/180 Day Calculator

Detailed Passport Metrics

Detailed Comparison

Visa-Free Destinations

North Korea
36
South Korea
187

2026 Ranking

North Korea
94
South Korea
2

Global Mobility Score

North Korea
0/100
South Korea
85/100

Openness Score

North Korea
0/100
South Korea
85/100

Continent

North Korea
ASIA
South Korea
ASIA

Schengen Member

North Korea
No
South Korea
Yes

Citizenship by Investment

North Korea
No
South Korea
No

Residency by Investment

North Korea
No
South Korea
No

Visa on Arrival

North Korea
27
South Korea
40

eTA Available

North Korea
2
South Korea
15

e-Visa Available

North Korea
45
South Korea
20

Visa Required

North Korea
143
South Korea
16

Summary Insights

Comparison Summary & Recommendations

Overall Winner

South Korea

With 187 visa-free destinations, South Korea offers the most global mobility among the compared passports.

Schengen Area Access

South Korea

South Korea is a Schengen Area member, providing free movement across 27 European countries.

Most Unique Access

South Korea

South Korea provides exclusive visa-free access to 126 destinations not accessible with the other passports.

Key Insights

  • • All compared passports share access to 9 common destinations
  • • The strongest passport offers 187 visa-free destinations
  • • Consider your travel priorities: business, leisure, or specific regions when choosing a passport
  • • Visa requirements can change - always verify current entry requirements before traveling

Visa Access Breakdown

Visa Access Analysis

Understanding the overlap and unique access each passport provides

9
Shared Destinations
0
Unique to North Korea
126
Unique to South Korea

Exclusive Visa-Free Access

North Korea flag

North Korea

0 unique destinations

No unique destinations

South Korea flag

South Korea

126 unique destinations

MexicoAlbaniaAndorraAnguillaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustriaBahamas+116 more
Note: Exclusive visa-free access means destinations that are only accessible visa-free with that specific passport and not with any of the other compared passports.

Shared Visa-Free Destinations (9)

Countries that all compared passports can access visa-free

Cook IslandsDominicaThe GambiaGuyanaHaitiKyrgyzstanMicronesiaSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesSuriname

Historical Ranking Trends

Ranking Trends Over Time

Historical passport ranking comparison from 2006 to 2026 (lower rank is better)

YearNorth Korea RankSouth Korea RankNorth Korea Visa-freeSouth Korea Visa-free
2006781118115
2007801100
2008831229144
2009831200
2010901336151
2011931037163
201294939160
201385741166
201486342172
2015100339171
201695642172
201794740170
201899342188
2019100239188
2020100339189
2021109239190
2022104239190
2023102240192
202497242193
202599341192
202694236187

Each cell shows rank and visa-free count for that year.

Destinations

Notable Visa-Free Destinations

Representative destinations that highlight each passport's strongest visa-free access profile.

North Korea

  • Cook Islands
  • Dominica
  • The Gambia
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Kyrgyzstan

South Korea

  • Japanup to 90 days
  • Singaporeup to 90 days
  • Thailandup to 90 days
  • Vietnamup to 90 days
  • Malaysiaup to 90 days

Resources

Official Resources

Primary government and immigration sources for policy verification before travel.

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