South Korea has retained its position as the second most powerful passport in the world, according to the Henley Passport Index.
On July 21, local time, Yonhap News reported that the global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners released its 20th anniversary report on the Henley Passport Index, revealing that South Koreans can enter 188 countries without a visa or with a visa on arrival, placing it behind Singapore, which ranks first with access to 192 countries.
Japan and the United Arab Emirates also share the second spot with South Korea, while Afghanistan ranks last with access to only 22 countries.
The United States is ranked 10th, with visa-free access to 180 countries. After holding the top position in 2006, the U.S. has seen its ranking decline, effectively placing it at 37th when considering that 36 countries are ranked higher, including those tied for the top spots.
Factors contributing to the U.S. decline include its inability to enter China without a visa, unlike other leading Western nations.
CNN noted, "This index tracks the freedom of travel offered by passports based on the number of destinations accessible without a visa or with a visa on arrival, indicating that the U.S. passport is no longer among the most powerful in the world."
Meanwhile, North Korea remains in the lower tier, ranked 97th with access to 35 countries, alongside Nepal, Somalia, Yemen, Pakistan, Iraq, and Syria.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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