South Korea vs Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) Passport Comparison

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...

Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) flag

Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)

ASIA

32
Rank
Visa-Free Access135 countries

The Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) passport currently offers significant travel mobility, providing holders with access to 135 destinations through visa-free or visa-on-arriv...

South Korea vs Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) Passport Comparison Overview (2026)

This comparison analyzes visa-free access, ranking trends, and mobility metrics for South Korea vs Taiwan (Chinese Taipei). South Korea currently leads this comparison with 187 visa-free destinations, while Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) has 135. Use the detailed sections below to compare practical travel access and historical changes.

  • 92 visa-free destinations are shared by all compared passports.
  • The largest exclusive advantage is 43 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.

Detailed Passport Metrics

Detailed Comparison

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 43 destinations not accessible with the other passports.

Key Insights

  • All compared passports share access to 92 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

92
Shared Destinations
43
Unique to South Korea
5
Unique to Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)

Exclusive Visa-Free Access

South Korea flag

South Korea

43 unique destinations

MexicoArgentinaArmeniaBahamasBarbadosBelarusBermudaBotswanaBrazilEl Salvador+33 more
Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) flag

Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)

5 unique destinations

South KoreaCayman IslandsMarshall IslandsPalau IslandsTuvalu
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 (92)

Countries that all compared passports can access visa-free

AlbaniaAndorraAnguillaAntigua and BarbudaArubaAustriaBelgiumBelizeBonaire; St. Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBruneiBulgariaChileColombiaCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCuracaoCyprusCzechiaDenmarkDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEstoniaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench West IndiesThe GambiaGermanyGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGuamGuatemalaHaitiHondurasHungaryIcelandIrelandItalyJapanKosovoLatviaLiechtenstein+42 more destinations

Historical Ranking Trends

Ranking Trends Over Time

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

YearSouth Korea RankTaiwan (Chinese Taipei) RankSouth Korea Visa-freeTaiwan (Chinese Taipei) Visa-free
2006115511542
2007115400
2008125414459
2009125400
2010136915160
20111040163111
2012936160120
2013725166130
2014324172132
2015330171129
2016629172137
2017731170134
2018329188148
2019231188145
2020332189146
2021234190145
2022232190145
2023235192145
2024235193143
2025333192141
2026232187135

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.

South Korea

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

Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)

  • Japanup to 90 days
  • South Koreaup to 90 days
  • Singaporeup to 30 days
  • Thailandup to 30 days
  • Malaysiaup to 30 days