🇰🇷 Pet Import to South Korea
South Korea's Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (QIA) requires microchipping and rabies vaccination for all incoming dogs and cats. Pets arriving from countries QIA designates as rabies-controlled can often clear quarantine within a day if paperwork is complete, but animals from non-designated or high-risk countries must present a rabies neutralizing antibody titer test (RNATT) of at least 0.5 IU/ml and may face quarantine of up to 10 days at the port of entry. Advance electronic notification to QIA before travel is mandatory. The most frequent failure point is missing the pre-arrival notification window, which triggers extended holding at Incheon.
Requirements snapshot
- Microchip
- Required (ISO 11784/11785)
- Rabies titer test
- Required
- Quarantine
- 10 days
Vaccination requirements
- •Rabies vaccination (at least 2 doses if first-time, or 1 valid booster; minimum 30 days before travel)
- •Core vaccines recommended (distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis for dogs; panleukopenia for cats)
Transport
Korean Air and Asiana allow small pets in cabin under strict weight and carrier limits; larger dogs travel as cargo. All pets must clear inspection by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (QIA) on arrival at Incheon, and advance notification to QIA is required before departure.
Sources & last verified
- Official source
- Last verified