Arrival Basics, Comprehensive: The First Two Hours After Landing Shape the Whole Trip

Incheon Airport Terminal 1, just past noon. Travelers pulling suitcases come to a stop in front of the immigration counters. The sign simply reads "Waiting," and no one is there to say which line moves faster. For a traveler setting foot in Korea for the first time, these first two hours shape the impression of the entire trip. According to Korea's Ministry of Justice, the number of foreign residents in Korea reached 2,874,278 as of end-June 2026, up 5.2% year-on-year. Arrivals in June alone totaled 2,038,364 (+22.2% year-on-year), bringing the first-half total to 11,048,325 (+20.6% year-on-year). With inbound travel growing this fast, it's worth checking whether arrival infrastructure is keeping pace. ■ Immigration lines are shrinking, but not everywhere yet According to the government's Korea.kr policy briefing, the number of countries eligible for automated immigration clearance exp

anded from four (Germany, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau) to 18, adding the UK, France, Japan, Australia and others. Piloted at Incheon Airport since December 2025, registration through clearance takes about two minutes. But not every traveler benefits yet: The Hankook Ilbo reported that "a passenger who arrived at Incheon Airport Terminal 1 at noon on July 31 didn't clear immigration until 1:20 p.m., with only 11 of 20 foreigner-only counters on the west side in operation" (ICAO recommends a 45-minute wait). Source: https://www.hankookilbo.com/news/article/A2026080308310005207 ■ When your card won't swipe Even after clearing immigration, another hurdle awaits. Travel magazine Locallure reported that "27.8% of the difficulties foreign travelers face are related to payments and digital systems" — foreign-issued cards often aren't recognized at unmanned transit card top-up machines or contactle

ss terminals, and some systems require a Korean phone number for verification. Source: https://blog.locallure.kr/foreign-tourists-challenges-korea ■ Practical Guide - Automated immigration: for citizens of 18 eligible countries, at Incheon Airport, about 2 minutes registration to clearance (korea.kr) - Currency exchange: Incheon T1 KB Kookmin Bank (arrival hall 1F, 6am-10pm), Woori Bank (24 hours), Hana Bank (6am-10pm) - SIM/eSIM: arrival-hall roaming desks, passport required. KT offers 10% off 4-30 day plans booked online (3GB/day LTE unlimited); SKT offers 20% off airport price for online purchase. Foreign cards accepted - Transit card: foreigner-only 'Korea Tour Card,' 50,000 won (46,000 won stored value + 4,000 won card, cash purchase only), sold at airport bus ticket counters and CU convenience stores, includes a 10% discount on airport bus fares (t-money.co.kr) In the end, inform

ation is what determines those first two hours. Sorting out a SIM card and transit card before leaving the arrival hall, and checking in advance whether you're a citizen of an automated-clearance country, can significantly cut wasted time in line. Arrival Basics continues tomorrow with country-specific editions. Knowing this can save travelers both time spent navigating the arrival hall and money on telecom and transit costs. Korea Tourism Times Editorial Desk