To make a domestic phone call within Korea, dial the area code followed by the phone number.
Metropolitan Area Codes
Seoul (02), Incheon (032), Gwangju (062), Busan (051), Daegu (053), Daejeon (042), Ulsan (052)
Provincial Area Codes
Gyeonggi-do (031), Gangwon-do (033), Chungcheongbuk-do (043), Chungcheongnam-do (041), Jeollabuk-do (063), Jeollanam-do (061), Gyeongsangbuk-do (054), Gyeongsangnam-do (055), Jeju-do (064)
Dial any of the following international exit numbers
001, 002, 005, 008, 00365, 00700, 00770
Next, dial the country code of the country you are calling ( List of country codes )
Dial the local area code and phone number
To call outside the country, begin with any of the international exit numbers listed above, and then dial the country code +1, area code, and phone number.
Ex) 001+1+555+123-4567
When calling Korea from abroad, first dial your country’s exit code (if applicable), then ROK country code (+82) + area code (omit the 0), and the phone number.
Ex) 001+1+82+2-123-4567
Mobile phones can be rented from major telecom companies such as LG, SK, and KT in the arrivals lobby at Incheon and Gimpo International Airports. To rent a phone, you will need to provide your passport and a credit card. Your rental phone must be returned to the same counter from which it was rented. Phones are also available for rental at most major hotels. Each carrier charges approximately KRW 3,000/day in addition to the KRW 100/10 seconds charge for outgoing calls. Incoming calls do not incur any charges for the recipient. Mobile data charges can vary, but are usually around KRW 5,000/day. Both 3G and 4G are available in all but the most remote areas of the country.
Once you’ve rented a phone, please download Visit Seoul's mobile application, i Tour Seoul. This app will put all the essential information you’ll need to navigate and enjoy Seoul right at your fingertips.
· Incheon Int'l Airport: 1st floor, Arrivals Lobby (Open 24 hours)
· Gimpo Int'l Airport: International Terminal, 1F, Arrivals Lobby (07:00 – 23:00)
More information on phone rentals
Prepaid SIM cards can be purchased online and picked up at Incheon International Airport. It is also possible to purchase prepaid SIM cards at the airport.
Incheon International Airport
Arrivals Hall (1F)
- CU convenience store: By Gate 5 (Open 24 hours)
- CU convenience store: By Gate 10 (Open 24 hours)
- CU convenience store: By Gate 13 (Open 24 hours)
- Bookstore: By Gate 7 (08:00 - 20:00)
- Level B1, AREX Airport Rail Service Transportation Center (Data SIM only: 09:00 - 19:00)
Gimpo International Airport
International Terminal
- 3F, 7-11 convenience store (Open 24 hours)
Domestic Terminal
- 3F, past security, 7-11 convenience store (Open 24 hours)
Prepaid SIM cards are also available for purchase at most convenience stores around Seoul, such as CU, 7-11, and GS25. Though it's possible to purchase a prepaid SIM card outside of the airport, making a purchase at the airport is more convenient andhassle-free.
Prepaid eSIM can be easily purchased and received online. Since eSIM works in a digital way, you can install a prepaid data plan by scanning the QR code. Without visiting offline stores, you can simply receive an eSIM plan by email. Many of the smartphone devices released after 2019 are eSIM compatible, so if you have a carrier unlocked eSIM support device, you can buy and use prepaid eSIM data plans conveniently.
Payphones can be found at the airport, subway stations, and major tourist attractions. In Korea, you'll find phones that accept coins, prepaid cards, and credit cards, as well as phones that only accept coins and phones that only accept cards. To use the phones that accept cards, you must purchase a prepaid phone card from a convenience store, use a T-Money card or credit card, or dial collect.
* Cards come in increments of KRW 3,000, KRW 5,000, and KRW 10,000.
Coin phones accept 10, 50, and 100 won coins, while phones that take cards accept prepaid cards, T-Money cards, and credit cards. Visitors should be aware that payphones can be difficult to find in some areas, since most Koreans rely on mobile or smartphones.
Using Payphones
If you're using a phone that takes cards, first pick up the receiver and then insert your card. The remaining balance will be displayed. Enter the phone number you wish to dial. To use a T-Money card, hold the card up to the card reader. The phone will make a sound when your card has been read, after which you can dial the number you wish to call. For coin phones, deposit the required amount and then dial the number.
* Local calls are KRW 70 for every 180 seconds. Calls placed to a mobile phone cost 70 won for every 38 seconds.
Internet access is widely available throughout Seoul. Airports, hotels, tourist information centers, public facilities such as subway and railway stations, and many restaurants and cafés have Wi-Fi, LAN Internet access, or both. You can even connect to the Internet on KTX trains. You can also go to an Internet café, called a "PC bang,” or PC room, which are found in most commercial and residential areas of the city. They cost about KRW 1-2,000/hour.
Wireless Internet is widely available in Seoul, which boasts nearly 10,000 free Wi-Fi hot spots. Public service centers and institutions such as transit centers, airports, libraries, hospitals, universities, and even many tourist spots offer free public access. Most hotels, stores, cafés, restaurants, and even taxis offer complimentary Wi-Fi access, although you may have to ask for the password or log in to their system.
Visitors can also pay for access from telecom companies such as KT, SK, and LG by logging in and paying by credit card at hot spots. Prepaid cards are also available for purchase at most convenience stores, and cost approximately KRW 1,000/hour or KRW 3,000/day.
Visitors who need consistent access to Wi-Fi can also rent portable routers (often called “eggs” or “pocket Wi-Fi”) to create hot spots from major telecom providers such as KT and SK at Incheon and Gimpo International Airports. They can be reserved online in advance and picked up directly at the phone rental service desks of the telecom provider. Other rental agencies can be found in major tourist spots such as Seoul Station, Insa-dong, and Myeong-dong. A portable router usually costs between KRW 5,000 and 10,000 per day to rent.