Pet Transport from South Korea to the UK: Health Certificates, Listed Status and Airlines

South Korea is home to a large expat community and many Koreans who relocate to the UK for work, study or family reasons. The good news for pet owners on this route is that South Korea is on the UK’s list of countries from which pets can travel without a titre test and without mandatory quarantine – as long as all the documentation is correctly prepared.

South Korea’s Export Requirements

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) oversees live animal exports from South Korea. The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) – a MAFRA agency – issues health certificates for export.

To export a pet from South Korea:

1. ISO microchip – 15-digit; must be implanted before the vaccinations you are relying on
2. Rabies vaccination – current; primary vaccination at least 30 days before the health certificate is issued; booster vaccinations must be current within the manufacturer’s validity period
3. Core vaccinations – dogs: distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis; cats: panleukopenia, herpesvirus, calicivirus
4. APQA health certificate – completed in the APQA-approved format for the UK; issued by a licensed Korean vet and endorsed by the APQA district office; the APQA endorsement typically takes 3 to 5 business days; the certificate must be issued within 10 days of your UK arrival date

UK Entry Requirements from South Korea

South Korea is a UK-listed country, which means:

• No titre test required – provided the rabies vaccination schedule is correctly maintained
• No mandatory quarantine with complete documentation
• Tapeworm treatment for dogs – praziquantel treatment by a vet within 24 to 120 hours before UK arrival; strictly enforced
• APHA-approved health certificate – the APQA-issued Korean health certificate must follow the UK’s listed third-country format; confirm the current approved format with APHA or a UK pet relocation specialist

Pets must arrive through a designated UK entry point approved for pet arrivals. Main options for this route: Heathrow (LHR), Gatwick (LGW) or Manchester (MAN) for air arrivals.

The Tapeworm Treatment Window

Dogs (not cats) must receive a tapeworm (Echinococcus) treatment from a vet within 24 to 120 hours before arriving in the UK. This is a fixed window with no flexibility. Calculate your schedule:

• UK arrival: Saturday at 10:00
• Latest treatment: Friday at 10:00 (24 hours before)
• Earliest treatment: Monday at 10:00 that week (120 hours before)

The vet must record the treatment in the health certificate, so the certificate appointment and the tapeworm treatment must be coordinated with the flight date.

Airlines on This Route

Direct flights from Seoul Incheon (ICN) to London (LHR):

• Korean Air (KE) – direct Seoul Incheon to London Heathrow; Korean Air accepts pets in cargo hold
• Asiana Airlines (OZ) – direct Seoul to London Heathrow; cargo hold
• British Airways (BA) – direct London to Seoul; cargo via IAG Cargo
• Virgin Atlantic – London to Seoul; hold cargo on selected routes

Korean Air and Asiana Airlines have experience with Korea-UK pet transport and are the most commonly used carriers for this route.

Sources: MAFRA Ministry of Agriculture Korea; APQA (Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency Korea); UK APHA listed countries pet travel guidance; Korean Air live animals policy.