Moving to South Korea from North Korea
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from North Korea to South Korea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from North Korea to South Korea.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Get free moving quotes to South Korea
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from North Korea to South Korea.
How's the healthcare?
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
North Korea generally does better on environment, though South Korea leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
North Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though South Korea leads in electricity per capita.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
South Korea performs significantly better than North Korea across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
percentage of adults who can read and write
South Korea generally does better on family life, though North Korea leads in literacy rate.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | P'yongyang | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 38°/20°F (4°/-7°C) | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/31°F (10°/0°C) | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | P'yongyang | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/13°F (-0.8°/-10.7°C) | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 36°/18°F (2.4°/-7.8°C) | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 48°/29°F (8.9°/-1.8°C) | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) |
| Apr | 63°/41°F (17.1°/4.9°C) | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) |
| May | 73°/52°F (22.6°/10.9°C) | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) |
| Jun | 80°/62°F (26.7°/16.5°C) | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) |
| Jul | 83°/69°F (28.6°/20.7°C) | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) |
| Aug | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.5°C) | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) |
| Sep | 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.3°C) | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) |
| Oct | 65°/44°F (18.2°/6.7°C) | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) |
| Nov | 49°/31°F (9.4°/-0.3°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) |
| Dec | 35°/19°F (1.7°/-7.2°C) | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) |
Korea Meteorological AdministrationVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between North Korea and South Korea. To live, work, or study long-term in South Korea, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check South Korea's immigration authority.
North Korea passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa Required
South Korea passport holder visiting North Korea
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from South Korea?
Usually fine from major cities in South Korea. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in South Korea compared to North Korea?
North Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in health coverage index. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 36.7 in North Korea. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (North Korea: 68).
What's the weather like in South Korea compared to North Korea?
The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 60°F in P'yongyang. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while P'yongyang gets 37.0 in.
What language do they speak in South Korea?
Both North Korea and South Korea share the same official language: Korean.
