Moving to South Korea from Zimbabwe

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Zimbabwe to South Korea, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Seoul averages 63°F vs 78°F in Harare, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
26 ↑ 24% vs 2022

people moved from Zimbabwe 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 Zimbabwe to South Korea.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ZW
6.7
KR
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZW
29.9
KR
6.9

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

ZW
$63
KR
$5,081
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ZW
1.7
KR
25.2

South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ZW
56.0
KR
19.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZW
0.8t
KR
11.4t

Zimbabwe 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

ZW
1.3
KR
45.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZW
46.1%
KR
85.2%

South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Zimbabwe leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ZW
8.8%
KR
2.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZW
$3,500
KR
$50,600

South Korea performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ZW
63.3 yrs
KR
83.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZW
28.5
KR
2.9

South Korea performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Harare Rain: 33.1 in/yr (841 mm)
78° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Harare Seoul
Jan–Mar 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) 73°/56°F (23°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) 83°/70°F (28°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) 54°/38°F (12°/4°C)
View all months
Month Harare Seoul
Jan 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C)
Feb 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C)
Mar 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C)
Apr 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C)
May 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C)
Jun 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C)
Jul 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C)
Aug 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C)
Sep 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C)
Oct 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C)
Nov 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C)
Dec 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C)

Data: Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department, Korea Meteorological Administration Korea Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zimbabwe 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.

Zimbabwe passport

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting South Korea

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

South Korea passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

Visa on Arrival
South Korea passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Zimbabwe.

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 Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Korea is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.7 in Zimbabwe.

How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Zimbabwe?

South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 1.7 in Zimbabwe. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zimbabwe: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 78°F in Harare. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Harare gets 33.1 in.

What language do they speak in South Korea?

The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Zimbabwe, the official languages are Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language.

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At a Glance

ZW KR
Population 15,121,004 51,844,834
Currency Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) South Korean Won (₩)
Languages Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language Korean
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +263 +82
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 112