Mission directory
LDS Missions in South Korea
There are currently 3 active missions in South Korea. Explore where each one is based, the local time, the climate and what to do next if you have been called there.
Missions in South Korea
Every mission below links to its own page, with that mission’s map, local time, current weather, climate and preparation guides.
About LDS missions in South Korea
There are currently 3 active LDS missions based in South Korea, in 2 cities across 2 regions. Some cities carry more than one: Seoul (2). Those cities are spread about 350 km (200 miles) from Seoul in the west to Busan in the east.
2 missions are based in the national capital, Seoul. Every mission city is north of the tropics, so June to August is summer and December to February is winter.
Missionaries serve across areas set by their mission, which can reach well beyond the city the mission is based in, and they are transferred between those areas during a mission.
Local time in South Korea
Every mission in South Korea keeps Asia/Seoul. The clock below is live, and follows daylight saving where it applies.
Asia/Seoul
Asia/Seoul
Busan, Seoul
Missionary Tracker shows this clock next to your missionary, so nobody at home has to work out whether it is a reasonable hour to write.
Climate and seasons in South Korea
Mission cities in South Korea fall into 2 Köppen climate classes, so conditions are not the same across the country.
The most common are monsoon-influenced hot-summer continental (Dwa), covering 2 missions including Seoul and monsoon-influenced humid subtropical (Cwa), covering 1 mission including Busan.
Across those cities, the warmest monthly average high is 29 °C (84 °F) in Busan during August, and the coolest monthly average low is -7 °C (19 °F) in Seoul during January.
Monsoon-influenced hot-summer continental (Dwa)
Hot, wet summers and cold, dry winters.
Seoul
Monsoon-influenced humid subtropical (Cwa)
Hot, wet summers and noticeably drier, milder winters.
Busan
Always use your Missionary Portal and your mission’s own “what to bring” instructions when deciding what clothing or equipment to pack. This describes the weather, not what to take.
Languages
Korean is the language most widely used across South Korea.
- Korean
This describes the country, not the assignment. The language a missionary is called to speak is set by the Church and stated in the call itself — it can differ from the languages above, and missionaries serving in the same country are not always assigned the same one.
Preparing to serve in South Korea
If you have received a mission call to South Korea, begin with the instructions in your Missionary Portal and the mission’s own letter — those are the only sources that speak for your mission. These guides cover the practical side nobody sends you: the paperwork, the shopping, the packing and the last weeks at home.
LDS Mission Preparation Checklist: Everything to Do Before You Leave
The whole runway in one place — from the year before you submit a recommendation to the morning you leave for the MTC.
Read the guideMission CallWhat to Do After Receiving Your Mission Call
The call answers where and when. This is the order to do everything that follows, starting with the parts that have deadlines.
Read the guidePackingLDS Missionary Packing List
Everything worth packing, in the order you should buy it, and the things most missionaries wish they had left at home.
Read the guideMTCWhat to Bring to the MTC
The quick answer first, then the detail: what you actually need on arrival day and what can stay in the suitcase.
Read the guideVisa and travel arrangements for South Korea are handled through your Missionary Portal and the Church’s travel office. Follow their instructions rather than any third-party summary, including this one.
Printable South Korea countdown map
Turn the mission length into a free printable countdown map of South Korea, with one numbered square for each mission day to colour in.
Create a Countdown MapCalled to serve in South Korea?
Find your mission above, then set it up before you leave. Add your mission and your dates to Missionary Tracker so your family has one private place to follow your countdown, current serving area and updates once your mission begins.
Free on iPhone and Android. Profiles are shared by join code, not published anywhere.
Already know your mission dates? Create a free mission countdown
Looking for a mission somewhere else? Browse the full LDS mission directory.
Mission boundaries, assignments and instructions change; always use current information from the Church and your Missionary Portal.