Korea officially follows the Gregorian calendar, but traditional holidays are still based on the lunar calendar. During the official holidays, offices and banks are closed but palaces, museums, department stores, and amusement facilities are open. Seollal (Lunar New Year's Day) and Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day) are the most important traditional holidays for Koreans, so millions of people visit their hometown to celebrate with their families.
| Banks | Weekday: 09:00-16:00 / Closed weekends & public holidays * Exceptions: Standard Chartered Bank weekdays 09:30-16:30, EVERRICH Bank weekdays 09:00-16:30 / Closed weekends & public holidays |
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| Government Offices and Organizations | Weekdays 09:00-18:00 / Closed weekends & public holidays |
| Post Offices | Weekdays 09:00-18:00 / Closed weekends & public holidays Website |
| Department Stores | Monday-Thursday 10:30-20:00, Friday-Sunday 10:30-20:30 / Closed days vary by store * Typically, department stores are closed one day a month, so we recommend checking before visiting |
| Traveler’s Check | Traveler's checks can be exchanged for cash at banks or exchange booths. A number of stores still accept the checks instead cash. Nonetheless, the forms of credit cards and debit cards have become a more preferred means of payment by travelers. Thus trading checks is hardly observed nowadays as there is seemingly a decreasing number of stores that offer this service. |
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| Credit Card | Most of the businesses in Korea widely use and accept payment by credit cards, including at major hotels, department stores, and general shops. Visa, MasterCard, American Express and other credit cards can be used; however check the service availability before making purchases as some stores may not provide this service. |
| Money Exchange | When you need to exchange your foreign currency into Korean won, visit a bank or authorized exchange service center. Banks are generally open 09:00-16:00 on weekdays, with exceptions to certain banks that operate 09:30-16:30 such as EVERRICH Bank. Please be aware that money exchange of old currency may not be accepted at certain locations. Make sure to check if banks or authorized exchange service centers accept old currency beforehand. |
| Currency Converter | www.xe.com/currencyconverter (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Swedish, Arabic) |
| Incheon International Airport |
Upon arrival, inbound travelers can easily convert their money into the local currency at bank branches and money exchangers located within the airport. The hours and locations vary by bank, so we recommend checking in advance; the standard hours of money exchangers are 06:00-21:00 but some locations may operate until 22:00 or 24:00.
* Incheon International Airport bank page : www.airport.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
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| Gimpo International Airport |
Upon arrival or before departure, travelers may exchange their currency and take care of other banking needs at the booths available at the airport. The hours and locations vary by bank, so we recommend checking in advance; the standard hours of money exchangers are 06:00-19:30 but some locations may operate until 21:30 or 23:30.
* Gimpo International Airport bank page : www.airport.co.kr/gimpo (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
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| Electricity and Voltage |
The standard voltage in Korea is 220 volts at 60 Hertz, and the outlet has two round holes. If you do not have a multi-voltage travel adapter, you may ask to borrow or purchase one from your hotel's front desk. You can also find them at the airport, retail stores, major duty-free shops, and even convenience stores. |
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| Public Phones | As the distribution of cell phones, smart phones and related mobile devices has increased in Korea, public phone booths are steadily decreasing. However, there are still some public phone booths at popular sites, bus stops, and subway stations. Korean public phones generally provide local and international call services alike with payment accepted by coins or phone cards. Telephone cards can usually be purchased at convenience stores or kiosks near the telephone booths. Payment can also be made with a transportation card, but this option is not accepted at all phone booths so please check in advance.
**International Calls**
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| Mobile Phone Rentals and Roaming Service |
Korea's major airports, including Incheon, Gimpo, Gimhae and Jeju International Airports, have roaming centers, operated by local network service providers. Visitors can get their mobile devices connected for roaming here after a simple registration process. In addition to roaming services, SIM Card purchase, Wi-Fi egg rentals and even smart phone rentals are available. More information about the fees, location of roaming centers and other details can be found on the service provider's official website. |
| SIM Card Purchase (Korea SIM card) |
Travelers can purchase a SIM card to insert in their personal cell phone device to enjoy unlimited data or receive a personal number while traveling in Korea. These prepaid SIM cards usually cost less than roaming services and offer unlimited data for a period of 5, 10 or 30 days. The SIM cards can be purchased at CU and 7-Eleven convenience stores at Incheon International Airport and Korea SIM Card’s official website. Although they can also be found at certain CU and 7-Eleven branch stores in Seoul and Busan, visitors are recommended to make a purchase in advance via online or at the airport.
Prepaid eSIM can be easily purchased and received online. The digital eSIM works by installing a prepaid data plan by scanning the provided QR code. The eSIM can be purchased on their website and you will receive an eSIM plan by e-mail, all without the hassle of visiting an offline store.
**SIM Card Retail Locations**
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| Internet | Internet service is often provided in public places such as airports, train stations, and bus terminals in Korea. PC rooms and internet cafes are also great places to go and they are mostly open 24 hours. |
| Postal System | Tourists may naturally want to send postcards or letters to their friends and family back home. A few years ago, mailboxes could easily be found on almost every other street and in buildings. These days, finding a mailbox is a bit more difficult because of the Internet revolution. If you cannot find a mailbox, you can ask your hotel front desk to put your letters or postcards in the mail or you can go directly to a nearby post office. Visit Korea Post for more details on post office locations and service fees. |
| Emergency Calls |
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| 1330 Korea Travel Hotline |
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| Diplomatic Missions in Korea |
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| LOST 112 (Lost and Found Center) |
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| Local Telephone Directory (Assistance) |
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