North Korea vs South Korea Passport Comparison
North Korea
ASIA
#99
Rank
Visa-Free Access36 countries
South Korea
ASIA
#3
Rank
Visa-Free Access187 countries
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | North Korea | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-Free Destinations | 36 | 187 |
| 2026 Ranking | #99 | #3 |
| Global Mobility Score | 0/100 | 85/100 |
| Openness Score | 0/100 | 85/100 |
| Continent | ASIA | ASIA |
| Schengen Member | No | Yes |
| Citizenship by Investment | No | No |
| Residency by Investment | No | No |
| Visa on Arrival | 27 | 40 |
| eTA Available | 2 | 15 |
| e-Visa Available | 45 | 20 |
| Visa Required | 143 | 16 |
Visa-Free Destinations
2026 Ranking
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
Citizenship by Investment
Residency by Investment
Visa on Arrival
eTA Available
e-Visa Available
Visa Required
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 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
0 unique destinations
No unique destinations
South Korea
126 unique destinations
MexicoAlbaniaAndorraAnguillaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustriaBahamas+116 more
Shared Visa-Free Destinations (9)
Countries that all compared passports can access visa-free
Cook IslandsDominicaThe GambiaGuyanaHaitiKyrgyzstanMicronesiaSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesSuriname
Ranking Trends Over Time (Server Rendered)
Historical passport ranking comparison from 2006 to 2025 (lower rank is better)
2025 Snapshot
North Korea
Rank: #99
Visa-free: 41
South Korea
Rank: #3
Visa-free: 192
Recent Historical Ranks
| Year | North Korea | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #99 (41) | #3 (192) |
| 2024 | #97 (42) | #2 (193) |
| 2023 | #102 (40) | #2 (192) |
| 2022 | #104 (39) | #2 (190) |
| 2021 | #109 (39) | #2 (190) |
| 2020 | #100 (39) | #3 (189) |
| 2019 | #100 (39) | #2 (188) |
| 2018 | #99 (42) | #3 (188) |
| 2017 | #94 (40) | #7 (170) |
| 2016 | #95 (42) | #6 (172) |
Each cell shows rank and visa-free count for that year.