{"id":116,"date":"2026-06-29T19:39:48","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T10:39:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/a-blog.enko.kr\/?p=116"},"modified":"2026-06-29T19:39:50","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T10:39:50","slug":"safety-in-south-korea-a-country-where-trust-seems-to-be-the-norm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stay.enko.kr\/blog\/safety-in-south-korea-a-country-where-trust-seems-to-be-the-norm\/","title":{"rendered":"Safety in South Korea: a country where trust seems to be the norm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Read about my experience as a foreigner in Seoul and how South Korea surprised me with its incredible sense of safety and trust in everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hello everyone ! \u2728<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is Eva Glanger, your favorite French student!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hope you enjoyed my third blog post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is my fourth, and I wanted to talk about a topic that has really struck me since I arrived in South Korea: the sense of safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before coming here, I already knew that South Korea was a safe country. I\u2019d heard about it often. But I didn\u2019t expect to actually experience this level of safety in my daily life. Living in Seoul has changed many of my habits and, above all, my perception of safety in public spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"People
City Sunset Crossing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>A first impression that quickly becomes a habit<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When I arrived in Seoul, I was naturally very careful. Like many foreigners in a big city, I kept a close eye on my bag and my phone, and always kept my belongings close to me. Especially since I\u2019m from Paris, a city that makes you realize very quickly that thieves are everywhere and that security is very lax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But very quickly, I began to notice something quite surprising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In caf\u00e9s, libraries, or even workspaces, people leave their belongings unattended. Laptops, bags, phones\u2026 everything is often left on the tables while the person goes to order something or take a break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In caf\u00e9s, it\u2019s common to see people reserve a seat by simply leaving their bag or laptop on the table. In libraries, students can step away for long periods without really worrying about theft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I realized that this wasn\u2019t carelessness, but rather a genuine sense of trust among people in society: here, people truly trust one another in their daily lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coming from France, I immediately noticed this contrast with what I was used to. Here, this trust in public spaces is a given.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the most surprising thing is that in the vast majority of cases, this trust isn\u2019t betrayed and nothing goes missing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Losing an Item in South Korea<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Losing something doesn\u2019t necessarily mean losing it forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve heard several stories about items being found fairly easily: phones, bags, wallets\u2026 Many are turned in to \u201clost and found\u201d centers, handed over to police stations, or sometimes simply left where they were found so the owner can come back and claim them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve never actually had to deal with a real loss here, but I really feel that South Korea is one of the countries where you\u2019re most likely to get your belongings back. And when you think about it, you quickly realize that this is connected to something broader: the trust between people in everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sense of safety as a foreigner<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a foreigner, but especially as a woman, this sense of safety has greatly influenced my daily life. Of course, I grew up with the idea that I could be attacked and that I always had to stay alert and on my guard,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

but since arriving here, I generally feel comfortable getting around alone, even at night, using public transportation, or working in a caf\u00e9 with my belongings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I remain cautious, just like anywhere else, but there\u2019s one important difference: I don\u2019t feel like I\u2019m constantly on high alert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"People
Metro Rush<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Is it perfect? Not necessarily.<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Of course, no country is perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though everyday safety is very impressive here, that doesn\u2019t mean there aren\u2019t social problems or pressures in other aspects of life. I don\u2019t think I\u2019d be able to leave my valuables unattended in a public place anytime soon, haha. My French side is coming out again\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But from the perspective of everyday life, especially as a foreigner, the level of trust in public spaces remains truly remarkable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Quiet Coffee Break<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I think it was important for me to talk to you about this!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know that most of Enkostay\u2019s clients are young, and it can sometimes be scary to travel to the other side of the world as a foreigner who knows nothing about the culture, language, etc. Knowing that safety standards here are very high is reassuring. I do want to point out, though, that there\u2019s no such thing as zero risk, and that you should always prioritize safety and be mindful of yourself and your environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you for your interest<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best regards,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva Glanger<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>My Korean Life:<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. The clash of beauty standards in South Korea: A Frenchwoman\u2019s perspective<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Work in Korea: what I\u2019ve been noticing so far as a foreigner<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Seoul Never Sleeps: A Look at Korea\u2019s Late-Night Caf\u00e9 Culture<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Read about my experience as a foreigner in Seoul and how South Korea surprised me with its incredible sense of safety and trust in everyday life. Hello everyone ! \u2728 This is Eva Glanger, your favorite French student!! I hope you enjoyed my third blog post. This is my fourth, and I wanted to talk […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":235,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-life"],"blocksy_meta":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t