South Korea maintains a visa waiver agreement list and a designated visa-free entry list with countries not included on those lists requiring a visa to enter the country.[1][2] In addition, foreigners wishing to engage in certain activities such as diplomatic work, gainful employment, study or residence must apply for the appropriate visa prior to engaging in that activity in country.


Overseas Study (D-2) visa
The Overseas Study (D-2) visa is issued to a foreigner who are planning to study at the undergraduate or above level of school.[46]

Due to the high cost of education and difficulty in attracting foreign students the government considered granting special work visas to parents of students on D-2 visas in 2006. Parents would have been able to remain and work in the country for up to five years.[47] In the same year it was noted that foreign students often taught illegally to keep up with their finances. Immigration law allowed D-2 visa holders only to work part-time in some businesses which paid an average of 3000W per hour. Students were allowed to work only 20 hours per week. However, students could earn 30000-50000W per hour teaching languages as tutors.[48] In 2007 over 1800 foreigners on D-2 visas were found to be working illegally. Foreigners who have a D-2 visa are prohibited from working full-time.[49] 2009 saw concern raised over Chinese nationals who overstayed their visas. There was an 11.7 times increase in overstays on the D-2 and other visas. It was also reported that "a number" of those entering on D-2 visas from China were doing so only to find a job illegally.[50] In 2010, 68 illegal tutors on D-2 visas were caught by the immigration department.

Transit
In general, travelers in transit do not require a visa to transit through South Korea for less than 24 hours (for Incheon Airport) or when departing on the same calendar day (for all other airports) as long as they stay within the transit area.

The South Korean government has special visa waiver policies for passengers in transit, which are listed below.

Transit Tourism Program
Travelers who are in transit through Incheon International Airport can participate in an organized transit tour group within Seoul. The service is free but an entry-procedure fee of KRW 10,000 or USD 10 applies. The tour can be registered in advance or joined after the traveler's arrival, and the shortest tour lasts for an hour while the longest will not exceed 5 hours.[36]

Nationals of the following countries, as well as stateless persons and refugees, are not eligible for this service:

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