Home / Returning to Korea
October 9, 2024
So, you've been gone awhile or it's your first trip to Korea. What's new around the Land of the Morning Calm? Below are some process and policy changes that may be new to you, with links to other parts of this website that contain more detail about each subject. Also, there is a short list of things to see and do while in Korea. I say short list, because there is so much to do I can't list them all, but here are listed some of the common ones.
No need to 'register your ID Card in DBIDS anymore!
The Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) was originally called Biometric Identification System (BIDS) and was developed specifically for USFK and was implemented in February 2000. It was a regional system, meaning the Korea region didn't talk with Japan, CONUS, Germany etc. Many will recall that every time you got a new DOD ID card you needed to register it in DBIDS. Today however, DBIDS version 5.x is an enterprise system that communicates globally. In late 2019 the DBIDS v5 upgrade was introduced which made DBIDS a globally connected system AND connected with other data sources as well, to include DEERS. If you are in DEERS i.e. have a DOD ID card, whether that be a retiree, dependent, civilian, contractor, active duty, foreign national, whatever, then you are in DBIDS! DEERS and DBIDS now share data. When a Gate DBIDS scans your ID it will find and authenticate you, even if you have never visited Korea before. As such, there is no need to visit a DBIDS office to update or register into the system. Just show up at an installations gate and get scanned.
No More Ration Cards: Retirees have not had ration control cards for many years, but their dependents did. NO MORE! As of 2022 dependents no longer need a Ration Control Card. While there is still a Ration Control Program, as per the continuing requirement per the SOFA Agreement, management of the program is now done using your ID Card not a separate Ration Card. If you still have one, expired or not, it's a souvenir. There are exceptions for foreign military's assigned in Korea, but for our purposes here that's irrelevant.
No Ration Limits: In addition, there are no more ration limits at the Commissary or Exchange - except hard liquor. Purchase limits can be set by the Commissary due to [lack of] product availability, but from the Ration Control program there are no limits, except on hard liquor.
No Door Entry ID Checks: Also, Commissaries and Exchanges no longer perform ID Checks at the door when you walk in. ID checks are done at checkout, which now include a lot of Self-Checkout counters. Speaking of Self-Checkout - yes Commissaries and Exchanges all have them now. In fact they are the most used form of checkout, so much so, the couple of registers that are still manned, usually don't have a cashier standing at them until they are needed.
For those who know or remember the old perimeter road around the Camp Humphreys flight line, that road is now not even in the middle of USAG Humphreys. If you do recall that road you will recall looking out over the Korean countryside to nothing but fields - that is all USAG Humphreys now, so be prepared for a shock. Checkout their Facebook page U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys (Camp Humphreys).
The following installations are still open. If it's not listed here, it's closed.
The old New Kyong Dong bus ended at the beginning of the covid pandemic in early 2020. It has not returned, although there are military contract busses that run between a few of the bases. These are open for any DOD ID card holder. Go to our Travel and Transportation page for more information.
It's still here! Not going anywhere anytime soon. Go to our Dragon Hill Lodge page for more information.
Where things are located around Yongsan can be seen on the map located here.
Certainly not a complete list by any stretch of the imagination, but, here are a few places of interest many visitors should experience. A simple Google search of "things to see in korea" will bring up many locations and places of interest.
