Moving to South Korea from Syria

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Syria to South Korea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Syria to South Korea, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Seoul averages 63°F vs 78°F in Damascus, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Syria to South Korea, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
313 ↓ 1% vs 2022

people moved from Syria to South Korea · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to South Korea?

Top countries of origin for South Korea's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Syria to South Korea.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

SY
2.1
KR
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
29.9
KR
6.9

South Korea performs significantly better than Syria across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

SY
$122
KR
$5,081
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

SY
11.9
KR
25.2

Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SY
83.0
KR
19.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SY
1.3t
KR
11.4t

Syria generally does better on environment, though South Korea leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SY
7.3
KR
45.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SY
124.4%
KR
85.2%

South Korea performs significantly better than Syria across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SY
13.5%
KR
2.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SY
$2,900
KR
$50,600

South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Syria leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SY
74.3 yrs
KR
83.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SY
15.9
KR
2.9

South Korea generally does better on family life, though Syria leads in education spending.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Syria, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Damascus Rain: 5.3 in/yr (134 mm)
78° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Seoul Rain: 55.8 in/yr (1418 mm)
63° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Damascus Seoul
Jan–Mar 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) 73°/56°F (23°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) 83°/70°F (28°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) 54°/38°F (12°/4°C)
View all months
Month Damascus Seoul
Jan 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C)
Feb 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C)
Mar 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C)
Apr 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C)
May 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C)
Jun 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C)
Jul 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C)
Aug 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C)
Sep 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C)
Oct 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C)
Nov 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C)
Dec 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C)

Data: Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department, Korea Meteorological Administration Korea Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Syria 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.

Syria passport

Syria passport holder visiting South Korea

Visa Required
Syria passport holders need a visa to enter South Korea.
South Korea passport

South Korea passport holder visiting Syria

Visa Online (e-Visa)
South Korea passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Syria.

Data: 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?

Internet is rarely the blocker — South Korea has 45.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is South Korea safe for expats?

South Korea performs significantly better than Syria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Korea is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Syria.

How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Syria?

Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 11.9 in Syria. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Syria: 64).

What's the weather like in South Korea compared to Syria?

The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 78°F in Damascus. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Damascus gets 5.3 in.

What language do they speak in South Korea?

The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Syria, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

SY KR
Population 21,563,800 51,844,834
Currency Syrian Pound (SYP) South Korean Won (₩)
Languages Arabic Korean
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +963 +82
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112