KB News Desk
Easier visa rules may draw interest, but areas outside capital region may lack services needed for long-term stays
James, an Australian game developer, is among the foreign professionals hoping to benefit from South Korea’s eased digital nomad visa rules, which took effect June 30.
“I have traveled in South Korea for extended periods before. I also spent a few weeks in Busan, and it is beautiful. It is definitely a city I would want to return to,” James said. “There is so much the country has to offer outside Seoul that most people do not know about.”
The revised visa is designed to steer young remote workers toward provincial cities facing population decline. Yet weak coordination among government agencies and limited local support could make it difficult to convert new interest into long-term settlement.
Push beyond Seoul
Seeking to draw global talent to regions outside Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, which together comprise Greater Seoul, Korea has significantly eased the residency requirements for its digital nomad visa.
Under this year’s criteria, applicants aged 34 and younger who live outside Greater Seoul require annual earnings equal to Korea’s per capita gross national income for the previous year, or about 52 million won ($37,000). Most other applicants must earn 1.5 times that amount, while those aged 35 or older living in the capital region still require twice the figure.
The Ministry of Justice has also extended the maximum stay from two years to three, saying the additional year gives digital nomads more time to experience life in Korea and to consider permanently settling.
The policy is part of a broader effort to channel growing interest in destinations beyond Seoul into longer-term regional revitalization, as many local communities struggle with population decline.
In a survey by the Federation of Korean Industries earlier this year, 77 percent of cities and counties outside Greater Seoul described the risk of regional decline as severe.
A visa, but few foundations
Despite the Justice Ministry’s ambitious reform, the broader support system needed to attract digital nomads to regions outside Seoul remains underdeveloped, with coordination among government agencies and local governments still lacking.
Multiple local governments, including those of Jeju Island, Gangwon Province and South Jeolla Province, told The Korea Herald they had little in the way of concrete plans or ongoing projects to support long-term stays by digital nomads.
Busan has launched hotel promotions in partnership with an accommodation platform, but programs lasting up to 10 days fall short of helping visitors settle in the city.
“We can work in hotel rooms or Airbnb bedrooms, but then our entire week is spent alone in that room, with no opportunity to make meaningful connections with people,” James said.
Unlike short-term travelers, he said, digital nomads hope to build relationships with local residents, rather than remain isolated.
“We don’t want to stay in a foreigner bubble, but at the same time, we don’t want to isolate ourselves either, because that can be seriously detrimental to enjoying the experience.”
Justice Ministry data shows that among 309 digital nomad visa holders as of August 2025, 84 percent lived in Greater Seoul. Busan had only 24, while five provinces, including Jeju Island and North Jeolla Province, had none.
Experts say easing visa requirements alone is unlikely to persuade more foreigners to choose areas farther away.
“It is common for digital nomads to cluster in capital cities because cultural amenities, infrastructure and communities tend to be concentrated there,” said Jeong Ran-su, director of the Future Tourism Strategy Institute.
“While regions can attract enthusiasts through specialized themes such as surfing or wellness, those attractions alone are unlikely to sustain long-term demand.”
Building place to stay
Areas far from the capital must offer more than short-term accommodation if they hope to persuade digital nomads to build stable lives there, experts said.
“Outside the Seoul metropolitan area and Busan, it is difficult to say that foreign residents have sufficient access to hospitals, banks, public services and cultural facilities,” said Kim Jae-ho, a tourism management professor at Inha Technical College.
Jeong said the visa should be approached as a settlement policy rather than primarily as a tourism program, despite the government’s use of the term “workcation,” referring to a long working vacation.
Experts also recommend focusing on specific groups, such as younger workers or employees of multinational companies, and tailoring support to their needs rather than trying to attract every type of foreign professional.
Kim suggested making better use of regional universities and other facilities facing declining demand.
“Because digital nomad visa holders can bring their families, regions need housing, education and everyday services that can support family life. Children cannot simply be left without schools or activities,” Kim said.
He suggested offering incentives for universities to open underused housing and services to international residents and linking the resulting demand with local industries.
