"That Subtle Pride at Immigration" The Reason Behind It... South Korean Passport Ranks 2nd in the World

Second Only to Singapore: South Korea Joins Japan in the Top Tier

The international influence of the South Korean passport has once again been recognized as one of the highest in the world. In the latest passport rankings based on the number of countries accessible without a visa, South Korea secured joint second place alongside Japan, reaffirming its position as a global leader in mobility.

CNN reported the top 10 countries with the most powerful passports worldwide. The South Korean passport allows visa-free entry to 188 countries and territories, ranking joint second alongside Japan. Getty Images

On January 13 (local time), CNN reported the top 10 countries with the most powerful passports worldwide, citing the latest results from the Henley Passport Index, an international passport ranking indicator. This index ranks passports according to the number of countries and territories their holders can enter without a visa.

According to the report, the South Korean passport allows visa-free entry to 188 countries and territories, ranking joint second alongside Japan. South Korea maintained its top-tier status in global mobility, standing shoulder to shoulder with major developed countries.

Image of a South Korean passport for article reference. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Singapore took first place, with Singaporean passport holders able to visit 192 out of 227 countries and territories worldwide without a visa.

European Countries Dominate the Top Rankings

Third place was shared by five European countries: Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Each of these countries allows visa-free entry to 186 countries and territories.

Fourth place was also occupied entirely by European countries, with Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Norway each granting access to 185 destinations.

Fifth place included Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE has significantly increased its number of visa-free destinations since 2006, climbing 57 places in the rankings. The report attributed this rise to proactive diplomatic efforts and visa liberalization policies.

US and UK Passports Fall in Rankings... "A Sign of Geopolitical Change"

Image of a US passport to aid article understanding. Pixabay

In contrast, the United Kingdom experienced the largest drop compared to the previous year. The number of countries allowing visa-free entry now stands at 182, down by eight from a year ago. The United States, which fell out of the top 10 for the first time last year, returned to tenth place with 179 countries, but lost visa-free agreements with seven countries over the past year, showing a significant downward trend.

Misha Glenny, Director of the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna and a journalist, analyzed in the report, "As international tensions and domestic political instability increase, the weakening travel rights of the United States and the United Kingdom are not merely technical issues but signals of a geopolitical realignment."

Meanwhile, China ranked 59th, with its passport allowing visa-free entry to 81 countries. This marks a rise of 35 places over 11 years from 94th in 2015.

Afghanistan Ranks Lowest... Mobility Gap with Top Country Reaches 168 Destinations

Afghanistan ranked at the bottom, 101st, with only 24 countries allowing visa-free entry. Syria (100th, 26 countries) and Iraq (99th, 29 countries) followed. The mobility gap between the top-ranking country and the lowest was 168 countries and territories.

Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners and creator of the index, stated, "The power of a passport now determines access to opportunity, safety, and economic participation, and these benefits are increasingly concentrated in economically strong and politically stable countries."