I am a Vietnamese citizen. I am planning to buy a round-trip flight ticket from Taipei to Los Angeles (America) and I will transit in Seoul airport.

Do I need a visa if I want to enter Seoul (not over 72 hours)?

My first route is TPE-ICN-LAX, do I need a visa if I stay one night in Seoul?

My second route is LAX-ICN-TPE, do I need a visa if I stay one night in Seoul?

Of course, I have a valid US visa, and onward ticket that I booked.

From http://www.immigration.go.kr/HP/IMM80/imm_04/imm_p01/vm2.jsp:

Visa-free Entry for tour and transit

Nationals of the countries below can enter Korea without a Korean visa for a stay of up to 30 days, if their purpose of visit is tour or transit

Asia

MACAO, BRUNEI, SAUDI ARABIA, U.A.E, YEMEN, OMAN, JAPAN, QATAR, TAIWAN, H.K(90days), KUWAIT

※ Only Diplomatic·Official passport : INDONESIA, LEBANON

North America

U.S.A, CANADA(6months)

South America

GUYANA, GUATEMALA, VENEZUELA, ARGENTINA, ECUADOR, HONDURAS, URUGUAY, PARAGUAY

Europe

MONACO, Vatican, BOSNIA HERCEGOVINA, Cyprus, SAN MARINO, Serbia & Montenegro, SLOVENIA(90days), ANDORRA, ALBANIA, CROATIA

Oceania

GUAM, NAURU, NEW CALEDONIA New Caledonia, MICRONESIA, SAMOA, SOLOMON IS, KIRIBATI, FIJI, AUSTRALIA(90days), MARSHALL IS, PALAU

Africa

SOUTH AFRICA, Mauritius, Seychelles, SWAZILAND, EGYPT

(Note that Vietnam is not on the list.)

Visitors meeting the following requirements also can enter Korea without a Korean visa for a stay of up to 30 days, if their purpose of visit is transit

Note) Nationals of Cuba,Macedonia ,however, must apply for korean visa, even if they meet these requirements

• Holding a visa or a re-entry permit of the U.S. Japan, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand (5 countries)




• Travelling from either of the five countries to a third country via Korea, or travelling from a third country to either of the five countries via Korea




• Holding a confirmed onward flight ticket for departure within 30 days




• No Immigration offence records, while in the five countries

Those who have visited Korea more than 4 times in recent two years, or those who have visited Korea more than 10 times in total can enter Korea without a Korean visa, notwithstanding the requirements above

Note) However, this facility for frequent visitors is not applicable to nationals of "China (P.R.C)", "Cuba" , "Macedonia"

It appears that you are eligible for transit without visa if you have no past immigration offences in any of the five countries.

Airline agents go by Timatic, which states:

Passengers with a visa issued by Australia, Canada, New Zealand or USA to nationals of any country except for China (People's Rep.), Cuba, Iran, Macedonia (FYROM), Sudan and Syria, only if in transit through Korea (Rep.): -holding confirmed onward tickets on flights departing within 30 days; when arriving from a third country, departing to the country that issued the visa (e.g. DEL-ICN-YVR); or arriving on a direct flight from the country that issued the visa (a visa that expired on departure from that country is accepted), departing to a third country (e.g. YVR-ICN-DEL).

In other words: yes, you can enter Seoul and spend one night there. However, print this site to show the Airline agent just in case

According to Timatic:

Visa required, except for Holders of onward tickets transiting Seoul Incheon (ICN), for a max. transit For details time of 24 hours.

So as long as your transit is under 24 hours and you're transiting through Seoul you don't need a visa regardless of your nationality or destination.