Korea SIM Card Guide for US Travelers: Counters, Prices and Passport Checks

If you'd rather not wait in line at a counter after a long flight, a HelloRoam eSIM for South Korea goes on your phone at home. It starts its plan at its first connection in Korea, so you can open a map or book a ride from the arrivals hall.

We checked every price, ID rule, counter hour and phone requirement here on October 28, 2026. Our sources are the carriers', Apple's and the Korea Tourism Organization's own pages.

SK Telecom, KT and LG U+ all sell prepaid plans to visitors

Each carrier runs an English-language shop for visitors. The Korea Tourism Organization says roaming centers at Incheon, Gimpo, Gimhae and Jeju airports sell prepaid USIM cards and hand over cards ordered online. CU, GS25, 7-Eleven and Emart24 convenience stores sell physical USIM cards too, though the tourism office notes that stock varies by branch.

Get your Korea eSIM before you flyInstall it at home, then turn on data roaming for it when you land. From $3.49.See Korea plans

At Incheon Terminal 1, the KT and LG U+ counters near Arrival Hall F are open 24 hours. Their counters near Arrival Hall A open from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. In Terminal 2, LG U+'s counter near Exit 4 on the 1st floor is open 24 hours.

For short trips, the won prices barely differ. KT and LG U+ both list ₩6,500 for 1 day, ₩18,000 for 3 days and ₩27,500 for 5 days of LTE data. SK Telecom's 1-day LTE data eSIM is ₩6,500 too. The real differences are the speed rules, the ID checks and calling.

KT's price list shows what a longer stay costs

KT posts its full price ladder, VAT included, and the same prices apply to its visitor SIM and eSIM. The data plan has no calling minutes, and the voice plan adds about 60 minutes of calls. For 3 to 30 days, KT also lists a Data & Travel plan at about 10% less, such as ₩31,500 for 7 days. It adds a free transportation card but no call minutes. LG U+ also gives a free T-money card with plans of 3 days or more, which you collect at the airport and load yourself.

You can extend a KT SIM by 5, 10, 20 or 30 days and top up credit for outgoing calls. KT says a SIM expires if it isn't used within 90 days of purchase, and it sells each person 1 voice SIM and up to 4 data SIMs.

Calls and texts on a Korean SIM start only after an ID check

SK Telecom and KT switch on voice service only after they check your ID. SK Telecom lets data run first, then asks you to verify your passport through the emailed voucher between 8:00 AM and 10:00 PM, after you clear immigration. Outside those hours, you show the passport at an airport roaming center.

KT turns on calls and texts only after an entry check at its airport counter, and it sells eSIMs with calling only there.

There are limits per passport. LG U+ sells up to 3 SIMs per passport, and SK Telecom caps SIM purchases at 5 per person. SK Telecom's plans are for stays of 90 days or less. If you hold both US and Korean citizenship, SK Telecom gives you data only, with calls and texts restricted. A Republic of Korea passport can't be used to buy its visitor plans.

A Korean 010 number helps with restaurant and taxi apps, not bank checks

KT says every number on its visitor SIMs and eSIMs starts with 010, and LG U+ sells its voice SIM with an 010 Korean phone number. That number can receive the text codes that restaurant and taxi reservation apps send, LG U+ says, but not identity verification for banking or government services. Its data-only lines can't receive verification texts at all.

The other two carriers draw the same line. SK Telecom says its visitor lines can't receive personal authentication or payment texts, and KT says its SIM doesn't support personal authentication. A visitor SIM from SK Telecom or KT won't pass a Korean identity check for banking or government sites.

If you only need maps, messages and calls over the internet, data is enough. SK Telecom and KT both say internet calling apps such as FaceTime work on their plans. The Korea Tourism Organization's 1330 travel hotline also takes free online calls over Wi-Fi, though mobile data charges may apply.

Your US phone must be unlocked before a Korean SIM will work

SK Telecom and KT both need a phone without a carrier or country lock. On an iPhone, Apple's unlock guide says to open Settings > General > About and look for "No SIM restrictions" next to Carrier Lock. Only your current carrier can unlock it, so ask AT&T, Verizon or T-Mobile before you fly. LG U+ gives the same advice: unlock the phone before you arrive in Korea.

A physical SIM also needs a SIM tray. Apple's model guide says iPhone 14 and every later iPhone has no SIM tray in the United States. On those phones, you need an eSIM from a Korean carrier or a travel eSIM provider. An eSIM needs a phone that supports one: Apple lists the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR and later for travel eSIMs. LG U+ says its eSIM can't be used on Google Pixel, Motorola or OPPO phones and may not work on some phones bought outside Korea. It suggests dialing *#06#: if an EID shows up, your phone supports eSIM. Once your phone passes that check, you can buy an eSIM online before you fly.

With a physical SIM, KT's setup guide says to restart the phone until signal bars appear. Some models need up to 5 restarts to read the SIM. If there's still no service after that, KT says the phone is likely locked.

A US day pass costs $12 a day in Korea on AT&T or Verizon

Keeping your US plan takes little setup. AT&T's International Day Pass costs $12 a day for one line, and $6 for each extra line used the same calendar day. South Korea is on its destination list. On a postpaid plan (not AT&T Prepaid), AT&T adds the pass by itself when you first use your phone there, unless your line has another international feature. AT&T's Elite 2.0 plan already includes talk, text and 20GB of data a month in South Korea. Verizon's TravelPass lists Korea at $12 per line per day, plus taxes and fees, with 5GB of high-speed data per session before speeds drop to 3G. Verizon adds TravelPass by itself only on its Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Welcome plans. Unlimited Ultimate needs no pass at all, because Verizon builds data, talk and text abroad into that plan. On other plans, text TRAVEL to 4004 before you fly, or Verizon charges pay-as-you-go rates.

T-Mobile works differently. Its Experience Beyond plan includes 15GB of high-speed data in 215+ countries and destinations, and Experience More includes 5GB. After that, data runs at up to 256 Kbps, and calls on both plans cost $0.50 a minute. Essentials plans get free texting abroad, and data needs a paid International Pass. T-Mobile's coverage page lists South Korea as an included destination.

A pass starts on first use. AT&T's terms say the $12 fee kicks in the first time you use data, make or receive a call, or send a text in a destination. Received texts don't trigger it. Seven days on one AT&T line costs $84 for calls, texts and data. KT's 7-day plan with data and about 60 minutes of calls costs ₩40,500. AT&T charges at most 10 daily fees per line in each monthly bill cycle.

If you keep your US line on next to a travel eSIM, Apple says the travel line handles data. You might still incur roaming fees from your home line. You can choose the data line under Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data.

Match your choice to how you'll use your phone in Korea

Our guide to choosing an eSIM or physical SIM covers setup, cost and what happens if your phone is lost. In Korea, the choice comes down to how you'll use the phone.

• You need a Korean number for restaurant or taxi reservation apps: buy a carrier plan with voice and finish the passport check at the airport counter.
• You only need maps, messaging and browsing: a data-only plan does the job, from a carrier or a travel eSIM.
• You land late or want to skip the line: set up an eSIM before you fly. LG U+ warns that lines at its Incheon counters can get long in peak season. Carrier eSIMs have deadlines: LG U+ says to activate within 60 days of purchase, and SK Telecom says to scan the QR code within 180 days.
• You're in Korea for a day or two and expect calls from home: a US day pass keeps your number. On Verizon, check that TravelPass is on your line before you fly.
• Korea is one stop on a longer trip: our East Asia eSIM covers China mainland, Japan and South Korea on one plan.

HelloRoam's Korea plans are data-only and come without a Korean number

Our Korea eSIM gives you data only: no calls, no texts and no Korean number. On October 30, 2026, our Korea plan page listed SK Telecom and LG U+, on 5G and 4G LTE, as the eSIM's networks. If that pair changes, the page will show it, so look there before you buy. The eSIM includes hotspot sharing and starts counting plan days at its first connection in Korea. Like the carrier eSIMs, it needs a carrier-unlocked phone that supports eSIM.

That suits maps, messaging and browsing. It won't get you restaurant or taxi app codes, so if you need those, a carrier voice plan is the better buy.

We sell travel eSIMs, so we've flagged where a Korean carrier plan beats ours. Here's how we handle conflicts of interest. HelloRoam support answers 24/7 at help@helloroam.com, before you fly and during the trip.