Mobile Phone & SIM Cards in Korea
Complete guide to getting a Korean phone number, SIM cards, and mobile plans for tourists and residents.
๐ถ Get your eSIM before you land โ from $12
Activate instantly ยท No ARC ยท No store visit ยท Works in 33+ countries
Just Landed at Incheon? Here's How to Get Online
4 ways to connect on arrival. If you booked Pocket WiFi or planned to buy a SIM at the counter โ read this first.
Free Airport WiFi
Free ยท Setup: Instant
- Device
- None
- Coverage
- Airport terminal only
- No setup
- Works immediately inside the terminal
- Drops outside the gate and inside vehicles
- Useless for navigation, taxis, KakaoTalk on the way to your hotel
Pocket WiFi (WiFi Dosirak egg router)
~โฉ5,000 / day + deposit ยท Setup: 5โ30 min queue at booth
- Device
- Rental router + battery
- Coverage
- Anywhere in Korea
- Multiple devices on one connection
- Good for families and groups
- Wait in line at the booth
- Carry an extra device + battery
- Must be returned at the airport before your flight home
- If the router dies, the whole group is offline
Prepaid SIM at airport booth
7 / 15 / 30-day plans ยท Setup: Instant activation (passport only)
- Device
- Physical SIM swap
- Coverage
- Anywhere in Korea
- Passport-only โ no ARC needed
- Instant activation
- Local Korean number on most plans
- Confirm whether your plan is data-only or includes calls / SMS
- Swap out your home SIM
- Easy to lose the original SIM
- Queue lengths vary by booth โ prices vary too
eSIM activated before departure
From $12 (~โฉ16,000) for 10 days ยท Setup: Buy & activate at home; QR scan
- Device
- None โ uses your own phone (works as a second line)
- Coverage
- 15โ33 countries (Asia / USA plans)
- No queue, no device to return โ walk straight out of the airport
- Your home SIM stays active in the first slot
- Cheaper than Pocket WiFi for solo / couple trips
- Connected the moment your plane lands
- Requires an eSIM-capable phone (iPhone XS+ / Galaxy S20+)
Why travellers are switching from WiFi Dosirak to eSIM
- ๐ฆ No box, no battery: nothing to carry, nothing to return.
- โฑ๏ธ No queue: set up at home before the flight, online the moment your plane lands.
- ๐ฐ Cheaper for solo/couple trips: from $12 for 10 days vs ~โฉ50,000+ for Pocket WiFi rental.
- ๐ Travelling beyond Korea? Asia 33 plan covers 33 countries on one eSIM.
Pocket WiFi (์์ดํ์ด ๋์๋ฝ) is great for family groups sharing one connection. For 1โ2 travellers, eSIM is usually cheaper, faster to set up, and skips the airport booth queue entirely.
Buy eSIM for Korea โ Compare 5 Plans
No ARC, no store visit. Activate instantly with QR code. Works on iPhone XS+ and Galaxy S20+.
Asia 15
- Duration: 30 days
- Data: 20GB
- Coverage: 15 countries
Asia 33
- Duration: 10 days
- Data: 6GB
- Coverage: 33 countries
Asia & USA
- Duration: 10 days
- Data: 10GB
- Coverage: 20 countries
USA 25 Total
- Duration: 10 days
- Data: 8GB
- Coverage: 25 countries
USA 25 Daily
- Duration: 10 days
- Data: 1GB/day
- Coverage: 25 countries
๐ English online checkout launching in 1โ2 days.
Need an eSIM urgently? Email [email protected] and we'll get back to you within hours.
Validity until 2026-12-31 ยท All plans throttled to 128kbps after data limit ยท Korea included in Asia 15 / Asia 33 / Asia & USA plans.
Mobile Phone & SIM Cards in Korea
๐ก Quick Tip: Tourists can get SIM cards at the airport immediately. Residents need an ARC for monthly plans.
๐ฑ Options for Getting Connected
๐ถ Tourist SIM
- Available at airport
- No ARC needed
- 30-90 days
- Data-only or with number
- 30,000-50,000 won
๐ Monthly Plan
- Requires ARC
- SK, KT, LG U+
- From 30,000 won/month
- Unlimited calls
- Keep number permanently
๐ฐ MVNO (Budget)
- Cheaper alternative
- Same network quality
- 20,000-35,000 won
- No contract options
- Requires ARC
๐ก eSIM (Online)
- No ARC needed
- Activate before arrival
- 10โ30 days
- $12 โ $23 USD
- Instant QR setup
๐ข Korean Mobile Carriers
SK Telecom (SKํ ๋ ์ฝค)
- Best coverage nationwide
- Most expensive
- Excellent customer service
KT (์ผ์ดํฐ)
- Good coverage
- Competitive pricing
- Good for urban areas
LG U+ (LG ์ ํ๋ฌ์ค)
- Cheapest of the three
- Good urban coverage
- Data-focused plans
๐ How to Get a Mobile Plan
Step-by-Step Process
-
1
Get Your ARC
Apply within 90 days of arrival. Takes 1-2 weeks.
-
2
Visit Mobile Carrier Store
Find SK, KT, or LG U+ store. Bring ARC and passport.
-
3
Choose Plan
Data amount, call minutes, contract length (12 or 24 months)
-
4
Activation
Instant activation (10-30 minutes). Receive Korean number (010-XXXX-XXXX)
๐ฐ Typical Costs
| Plan Type | Data | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist SIM (30 days) | 10GB | 33,000 won |
| MVNO Budget Plan | 10GB + Unlimited calls | 35,000 won |
| SK/KT/LG Basic | 10-12GB + Unlimited calls | 49,000-55,000 won |
| Unlimited Data | Unlimited + Unlimited calls | 75,000-90,000 won |
๐ฑ Korean Phone Numbers
All mobile numbers in Korea start with 010-XXXX-XXXX
โ Number Portability
- Can keep your number when switching mobile carriers
- Process takes 1 day
- Early termination fee may apply
๐ International Calling
- From Korea: 001 or 002 + country code
- To Korea: +82-10-XXXX-XXXX
- Use KakaoTalk for free calls
๐ก Tips & Recommendations
โ DO
- Compare plans before committing
- Ask about foreigner discounts
- Get tourist SIM at airport for first 90 days
- Use WiFi when possible to save data
โ DON'T
- Sign 24-month contract if unsure about stay
- Forget to cancel before leaving Korea
- Buy phone with installments if leaving soon
- Ignore roaming charges when traveling
๐ฒ Essential Apps
Must-have apps in Korea:
- KakaoTalk: Everyone uses this for messaging and calls
- Naver Map: Better than Google Maps in Korea
- T world / olleh / U+: Mobile Carrier apps to manage your plan
- Papago: Translation app
Need Help Choosing?
Visit any mobile carrier store and staff will help you select the best plan for your needs.
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Views: 0 โข Last updated: 5/18/2026