Is shore leave allowed at Busan?

Shore leave at Busan: South Korea issues an in-port shore pass via the agent for most crew. Longer stays or transit beyond port area for sign-off require a regular Korea visa. Reference: hikorea.go.kr.. Shore leave policy is set by the port authority, the flag administration, and the visa regime of South Korea. Confirm with the agent before stepping ashore.

What visa or shore-pass do I need for Busan?

Seafarers calling at Busan on a vessel are generally exempt from regular tourist visas under Convention 108 / 185 (Seafarers' Identity Documents) if their flag administration has ratified the convention and they hold an SID. The standard document is the seaman's book + ship's crew list. South Korea may also require a shore pass issued by the agent. Confirm before you board the vessel — visa rules vary by nationality and by recent immigration-policy changes.

Is there a seafarer welfare centre at Busan?

Yes — 1 seafarer welfare centre is listed for Busan in our directory. The centres are typically run by the Mission to Seafarers, Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea), or a regional ministry, and offer wifi, transport, shop, chaplaincy, and advocacy. Walk-in is normal; no appointment needed.

Is there a crisis or welfare helpline I can call from Busan?

Yes — 6 helplines are listed for South Korea in our directory, plus ISWAN's 24-hour multilingual SeafarerHelp (+44 20 7323 2737) and the ITF Helpline. Helplines handle crisis support, abandonment, wage theft, mental health, and bereavement.

What's the nearest hospital to Busan?

Most major ports have a port-area hospital with seafarer-accustomed admissions; the welfare centre and the ship's agent can both advise. For serious cases, the nearest international hospital is normally in the same city or the next major city. The nearest major airport is Gimhae International Airport (PUS), about 11 km away — useful for medevac planning.

Is Busan a recognised crew-change port?

Yes — Busan is listed in our directory of recognised crew-change hubs, consolidated from IMO MSC.1/Circ.1636, ICS/IFSMA briefings, and ITF priority-port reports. Recognised hubs typically have better port-state and immigration facilitation for crew-change operations, faster visa processing for seafarers, and more welfare-centre presence.

Busan

UN/LOCODE KRPUS · South Korea · Asia-Pacific · 26

Crew change hub

Crew guide

Shore leave

Busan, South Korea's principal port and one of the world's largest container hubs. Shore leave is granted to seafarers under the standard Korean port-call procedure with a seaman's book + shore pass. Welfare provision is run by Korea Seamen's Welfare Network plus Mission to Seafarers and Stella Maris in Busan. Crews change at Busan New Port (BNCT, HJNC, PNCT terminals) and Gamman / Sinseondae terminals in central Busan.

Walking distance + transit

Busan New Port is 40-60 minutes from central Busan by agent van or shuttle bus. The central-port terminals (Jaseongdae, Sinseondae, Gamman) are 15-30 minutes from the central business district by metro. Busan Metro is well-signposted in English.

Essentials

ATMs: any major bank ATM accepts foreign cards (Shinhan, KEB Hana, Woori); 7-Eleven and CU often do
Money changers: Nampo-dong (central Busan) has several gold/currency exchanges
Hospital: Pusan National University Hospital, Busan Medical Center, Kosin University Gospel Hospital
Prayer rooms: Busan Al-Fatah Masjid (Cheongnyong-dong) is the central mosque
Halal food: small but growing presence — Nampo-dong has the principal cluster
Supermarket: E-Mart, Lotte Mart, Homeplus open until 10-11pm; CU and 7-Eleven for 24/7
SIM card: bring eSIM (Airalo, Ubigi) or pick up KT/SK/LG prepaid at airport

Seafarer tips

Do: download Naver Map and KakaoMap (Google Maps is limited in Korea). Don't: drink in public outdoors after midnight in certain districts (some areas have restrictions). Watch for: South Korea's immigration tracks shore-pass departures and returns through CIQ at each gate. Overstays trigger flag-administration notification. The welfare centre operates a van service to the major berths.

Last verified: 2026-06-29. Confirm with ship's agent before going ashore — local policy changes.

Busan (UN/LOCODE KRPUS) is a designated seaport with an adjacent airport in South Korea (26) in the northern Asia-Pacific region. The port operates on Asia/Seoul, uses the Won (KRW), runs shore power at 220V/60Hz (Type C/F). Nearest major airport for crew changes is Gimhae International Airport (PUS), 11 km from the port.

Reference

Coordinates: 35.1333, 129.05
Time zone: Asia/SeoulUTC +09:00no DST
Local currency: KRW— Won
Languages: ko, en
Nearest airport: PUSGimhae International Airport~11 km
Electricity: 220 V60 Hzplugs C, F(country default — verify at berth)
Climate: DwaHumid continental (dry winter)
Country-coastal Köppen zone (most ports cluster on the coast). For port-coordinate resolution use Kottek 2006 0.5° grid.
Function codes: 1234567-
seaport · rail terminal · road terminal · airport · postal exchange · inland clearance / multimodal · fixed transport (pipeline / cable)
Port authority: 부산항만공사 홈페이지

Operational details

Compiled from public port-authority and P&I-club directories. Always verify current contacts via your agent before arrival.

Pilotage / VTS

Busan VTS

VHF: Ch 12 / 14 / 16
Phone: +82 51 894 9001
Web: www.busanpa.com

P&I correspondents

· Kim & Chang Maritime Busan
· Jipyong Marine Busan
· Pandiman Korea

Port agents

· GAC Korea
· Inchcape Korea
· Wilhelmsen Korea

ISPS security level (normal): 1

World's 6th-largest container port; New Port (Gadeok) and North Port; Tsushima-route congestion.

Helplines for seafarers in South Korea

Welfare, abandonment, wages, medical, mental health, harassment — 24/7 lines where available. See full helplines directory.

ISWAN SeafarerHelp
Global · 24/7 · en, ar, es, fr
📞 +44 800 012 1004 WhatsApp [email protected]www.seafarerhelp.org
ISWAN Mental Health & Wellbeing helpline
Global · 24/7 · en, es, ru, tl
📞 +44 20 3713 7273 [email protected]www.iswan.org.uk/our-work/iswans-mental-health-and-wellbeing-strategy
ITF Seafarers
Global · 24/7 for emergencies · en
📞 +44 20 7403 2733 [email protected]www.itfseafarers.org
ISWAN — Family helpline (for relatives of seafarers)
Global · 24/7 · en, hi, tl
📞 +44 20 7323 2737 [email protected]www.seafarershelp.org
ISWAN Yacht Crew Helpline
Global · 24/7 · en
📞 +44 20 7323 2737 [email protected]www.yachtcrewhelp.org
ITF Inspectorate — Find your nearest inspector
Global · Varies by port · en
www.itfseafarers.org/en/contact-us/find-an-itf-inspector

Other ports in South Korea

All ports in South Korea →

Survival information

Practical information for crew arriving here. Verified where possible — see sources. Spot a mistake or missing detail? Tell us.

Emergency contacts

South Korea Police: 112 · 24/7
Korea Coast Guard (Busan): +82 51 663 2000 · 24/7

Hospitals / clinics

Pusan National University Hospital
+82 51 240 7000

Shore leave

South Korea issues an in-port shore pass via the agent for most crew. Longer stays or transit beyond port area for sign-off require a regular Korea visa. Reference: hikorea.go.kr.

Plan it: /tools/shore-leave-port-card

Transport

Nearest major airport: Gimhae International Airport (PUS (~11 km)). Vessel agent normally arranges taxi or seafarer-centre shuttle to/from the airport at sign-on / sign-off. Confirm transport with the agent at least 24 hours before disembarkation.

SIM & Wi-Fi

Major operators: SK Telecom, KT, LG U+. Prepaid tourist SIM at ICN/PUS arrivals. Free Wi-Fi at Korean Seamen's Mission centres in Busan + Incheon.

Consular contacts

PH Philippine Embassy Seoul (serves Busan)

Related rights: shore leave · medical care · abandonment · unpaid wages.

Port-state-control region: tokyo MoU · how to file a PSC complaint.

Busan: seafarer FAQ

Is shore leave allowed at Busan?: Shore leave at Busan: South Korea issues an in-port shore pass via the agent for most crew. Longer stays or transit beyond port area for sign-off require a regular Korea visa. Reference: hikorea.go.kr.. Shore leave policy is set by the port authority, the flag administration, and the visa regime of South Korea. Confirm with the agent before stepping ashore.
What visa or shore-pass do I need for Busan?: Seafarers calling at Busan on a vessel are generally exempt from regular tourist visas under Convention 108 / 185 (Seafarers' Identity Documents) if their flag administration has ratified the convention and they hold an SID. The standard document is the seaman's book + ship's crew list. South Korea may also require a shore pass issued by the agent. Confirm before you board the vessel — visa rules vary by nationality and by recent immigration-policy changes.
Is there a seafarer welfare centre at Busan?: Yes — 1 seafarer welfare centre is listed for Busan in our directory. The centres are typically run by the Mission to Seafarers, Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea), or a regional ministry, and offer wifi, transport, shop, chaplaincy, and advocacy. Walk-in is normal; no appointment needed.
Is there a crisis or welfare helpline I can call from Busan?: Yes — 6 helplines are listed for South Korea in our directory, plus ISWAN's 24-hour multilingual SeafarerHelp (+44 20 7323 2737) and the ITF Helpline. Helplines handle crisis support, abandonment, wage theft, mental health, and bereavement.
What's the nearest hospital to Busan?: Most major ports have a port-area hospital with seafarer-accustomed admissions; the welfare centre and the ship's agent can both advise. For serious cases, the nearest international hospital is normally in the same city or the next major city. The nearest major airport is Gimhae International Airport (PUS), about 11 km away — useful for medevac planning.
Is Busan a recognised crew-change port?: Yes — Busan is listed in our directory of recognised crew-change hubs, consolidated from IMO MSC.1/Circ.1636, ICS/IFSMA briefings, and ITF priority-port reports. Recognised hubs typically have better port-state and immigration facilitation for crew-change operations, faster visa processing for seafarers, and more welfare-centre presence.

For the arriving crew

Pilot ladder (SOLAS V/23) — rigging + inspection + Master's duty of care.
Pre-arrival checklist — the standard bridge + engine + agent workflow before entering port.
Ships' agent — role + documentation + interface with pilotage + tug + immigration.
Currency at port — cash-carrying limits + declaration + safe practices.
Hours of rest — STCW VIII/1 + MLC A2.3 rest rules during port operations.

Sources & verification (13)

country_iso3 · ISO 3166-1 (KR)retrieved 2026-05-05
country_name · ISO 3166-1 (KR)retrieved 2026-05-05
currency_code · ISO 4217:2015 (KRW)retrieved 2026-05-05
currency_name · ISO 4217:2015 (KRW)retrieved 2026-05-05
languages · CIA World Factbook (public domain), national-language listing (KR)retrieved 2026-05-05
timezone_iana · IANA tz database (Asia/Seoul)retrieved 2026-05-05
timezone_utc_offset · ECMA-402 Intl.DateTimeFormat (computed) (Asia/Seoul)retrieved 2026-05-05
timezone_dst · ECMA-402 Intl.DateTimeFormat (computed) (Asia/Seoul)retrieved 2026-05-05
electricity · IEC TR 60083 plug-and-socket standard list (KR)retrieved 2026-05-05
function_codes_expanded · UNECE Rec. 16 — UN/LOCODE function-code mask (1234567-)retrieved 2026-05-05
nearest_major_airport · OurAirports (CC0) — davidmegginson.github.io/ourairports-data (PUS)retrieved 2026-05-07
wikidata_qid · Wikidata SPARQL (P1937 UN/LOCODE join) (Q12438381)retrieved 2026-05-07
climate_classification · Kottek et al. 2006 / Beck et al. 2018 — country-coastal Köppen zone (KR)retrieved 2026-05-07

Last verified 5 months ago

High confidence

Editorial confidence: how we grade. Data sources and methodology: /sources.