About & Editorial Policy

What Korea Compass is

Korea Compass (korea.spemer.com) is an independent information site for people coming to Korea, especially first-time short-term visitors. I focus on the friction points that actually trip people up - buying a transit card, paying, getting online, entry rules - rather than tourist-attraction listings.

This is not a government site, and it has no affiliation with any official Korean agency. Where an official rule or fee applies, I point you to the primary source so you can confirm it for your own situation.

Who runs it

I am Hyouk Seo, a digital product designer based in Seoul. Korea Compass started with fielding the same practical questions from friends visiting Korea - which card to tap, how to pay, what to sort out before landing - and turning the answers into something that holds up. There is more about me at spemer.com.

I am also on GitHub, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

How I research and check facts

Every rule, fee, and fare I publish is checked against official government and tourism sources - immigration and visa portals, transport authorities, customs, and the Korea Tourism Organization. Each guide lists what I used under "Official sources" so you can verify it directly.

Prices for everyday things - coffee, meals, entry tickets - are real-world figures gathered from current listings and marked as approximate, since they move over time and with the exchange rate. Rates in the currency converter are live reference rates, not the exact rate you will be charged.

Updates and corrections

Rules for visas, entry, fares, and refunds change, so I date every page - the "Last updated" line shows when I last reviewed it - and revise the content when the underlying source changes. I recheck the most changeable topics on a regular schedule.

If you spot something out of date or wrong, tell me at ghsspower [at] gmail [dot] com and I will look into it.

How the site is funded

Korea Compass is free to read and is supported by advertising through Google AdSense. Ads are kept to a minimum and never influence what I write or which sources I cite. How I handle cookies, analytics, and advertising is described in the Privacy Policy, linked in the footer.

Contact

Questions, corrections, or feedback are welcome at ghsspower [at] gmail [dot] com.