Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
South Korea has 3rd most powerful passport
South Korean passport holders can travel freely to 188 countries and territories. Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
By Jung Min-ho
South Korea has the third most powerful passport in the world, according to the latest study by law firm Henley & Partners.
The 2018 Henley Passport Index Ranking showed Tuesday that the country's passport allows holders to travel freely to 188 countries and territories.
Only the Japanese passport (190) and the Singaporean passport (189) offer visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to more destinations.
Myanmar this month became the 188th country to give South Korean visitors a visa waiver.
German and French passports are tied for third.
Iraq and Afghanistan ranked at the low end of the spectrum, providing visa-free access to 30 countries each, with Syria and Somalia only just ahead with 32 visa-free destinations.
The Henley Passport Index ranks the travel documents based on data from the International Air Transport Association, the world's largest database of travel information.
Top
1. Japan (190)
2. Singapore (189)
3. South Korea, France, Germany (188)
4. Denmark, Finland, Italy, Sweden, Spain (187)
Bottom
1. Afghanistan, Iraq (30)
2. Syria, Somalia (32)
3. Pakistan (33)
4. Yemen (37)