Korea beats US and UK in global passport race
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South Korean passport holders can enter 188 countries and territories without a visa, placing the country among the world's most powerful passports.
Visa-free access allows travelers to cross borders without obtaining visas in advance, reflecting the high level of trust and reputation associated with South Korean passports.
According to a CNN report citing the Henley Passport Index released Tuesday (local time), South Korean passport holders can enter 188 of 227 global destinations visa-free. This ties South Korea for second place with Japan, which also offers visa-free access to 188 locations.
The Henley Passport Index, created by U.K.-based citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), ranks countries by the number of destinations their passport holders can access without a visa.
East Asian and European nations dominate the upper tiers. Singapore took the top spot with access to 192 destinations. Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland tied for third (186 destinations), followed by 10 European countries including France, Germany and Italy in fourth place (185 destinations).
The United Kingdom saw the sharpest year-on-year decline. With access to 182 destinations — eight fewer than the previous year — the U.K. fell to seventh place. The drop is attributed to stricter anti-immigrant policies, which prompted nations like Namibia to revoke visa-free entry for British citizens.
The United States placed 10th with 179 destinations, as seven countries, including Brazil and Honduras, withdrew visa-free benefits for Americans last year.
South Korea also claimed the No. 1 spot in the "Henley Passport Power (HPP)" index, which combines the Henley Passport Index with World Bank GDP data.
HPP measures the percentage of global GDP represented by countries that passport holders can access visa-free.
South Korea's HPP score stood at 98.13 percent, slightly edging out second-place Japan (96.18 percent). The U.S. ranked 27th at 72.37 percent.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.