Guides · Trip essentials

How to Pay in Korea: Cards, Cash & Tax Refunds (2026)

Last checked: 2026-10-31

Quick answer

Foreign cards work at most shops. Visa, Mastercard, JCB, AmEx and UnionPay are accepted at most stores in Korea (VISITKOREA).
Don't count on Apple Pay. We couldn't find official guidance on whether Apple Pay works with cards issued abroad. Bring a physical card.
Carry a little cash for traditional markets, some street food stalls, and buses that don't take cards.
Since March 17, 2026, new ticket machines on Seoul subway Lines 1–8 take foreign Visa and Mastercard for single-journey tickets and short-term Climate Card passes.
Instant tax refund: spend at least ₩15,000 and under ₩1,000,000 in one payment at a tax refund store, show your physical passport, and the tax comes off at the register.

Cards: what works

VISITKOREA says most stores accept major international cards "without any purchase limit".

Card	Accepted?
Visa / Mastercard	Yes, at most stores
JCB	Yes, at most stores
American Express	Yes, at most stores
UnionPay	Yes, at most stores. UnionPay QR also works at BC Card Paybooc QR stores

Tips:

Pay in won (KRW). If a terminal or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That conversion usually costs you more.
Tell your bank before you travel so it doesn't block the first payment in Korea.
Self-order kiosks: if your card is rejected, order at the counter.
Bring two cards from different networks in case one is declined.

Apple Pay in Korea (2026)

Here is where things stand for visitors:

In shops: We couldn't find official guidance on whether Apple Pay works with cards issued abroad. Bring a physical card.
Transit: Tmoney's app notes say the Mobile T-money app on iPhone accepts overseas-issued Mastercard, Amex, UnionPay and JCB for top-ups (from March 2026; JCB added in July). Visa isn't listed. Check in the app. See our transit card guide for details.

Alipay, WeChat Pay and PayPay

Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay are accepted at ZeroPay member stores. Look for the ZeroPay sign at the counter.
PayPay (Japan) has worked in Korea since September 30, 2025, at shops showing the Alipay+ or zero pay mark. You must finish PayPay's identity check (eKYC) before you leave Japan, because it can't be done abroad.
Seoul subway ticket machines also take some simple-payment apps.

Do you need cash in Korea?

Yes, but not much. Most purchases go on a card. Keep some won for:

Traditional markets and street stalls. VISITKOREA warns that some only take cash. Some stalls take cards or QR payments (PayPay lists street food stalls among its Alipay+ locations), but don't count on it.
Buses. Many Seoul city bus routes are now "cashless buses" that don't take cash at all, and you can't tap a foreign card at the bus reader either. Use a Tmoney card or WOWPASS. Seoul plans to add foreign-card readers to buses and subway gates over the next few years, but this is not in place yet.
Transit card top-ups. Convenience stores can top up your card. Have cash ready. The new Seoul subway machines (Lines 1–8, 440 machines, 273 stations) take foreign cards for single tickets, Climate Card purchases and 1-, 2-, 3-, 5- and 7-day passes. Check the machine screen before you count on a regular Tmoney top-up by card.

Taxis accept cash, credit cards and transit cards. You don't tip in Korea.

WOWPASS: a prepaid card for visitors

WOWPASS is a prepaid card only for foreign visitors. It works as a payment card and a transit card. VISITKOREA lists these features (October 2026):

Get the card at one of 450+ WOWPASS machines in hotels, convenience stores, subway stations and tourist spots, or reserve it in the app and pick it up. You need your passport.
Top up with cash at a machine (16 currencies), or with a credit card in the app.
Withdraw Korean won at WOWPASS machines.
Transit uses a separate Tmoney balance. Move money into it in the app, or top up at major subway stations or convenience stores.

Fees for the card, top-ups and withdrawals are not listed on VISITKOREA. Check the WOWPASS app or wowpass.io before you buy.

ATMs for foreign cards

Not every Korean ATM takes foreign cards. Look for your card network's logo (Visa, Mastercard, Cirrus, Plus) on the machine or screen first. Both the Korean ATM and your home bank may charge a fee, and amounts vary, so check with your bank. Always choose to withdraw in KRW.

Tax refunds for shoppers

If you stay in Korea for less than 6 months and don't work here, you can get tax back on goods bought at stores with a Tax Free or Tax Refund sign. The minimum is ₩15,000 for every refund method.

Method	Limit	How it works
Immediate refund at the store	₩15,000 to under ₩1,000,000 per payment, ₩5,000,000 total per trip	Show your passport at the register. Tax is taken off the price
Downtown refund	Up to ₩6,000,000 per receipt	Claim at a downtown refund center or kiosk with passport, receipt and credit card. Customs check still needed at departure
Airport refund	No purchase limit	Show goods, receipts and passport to customs, then claim at the refund counter or kiosk

Goods must leave Korea within 3 months.
Self-service refund kiosks at Incheon Airport T1 and T2, Gimpo and Gimhae run 24 hours. They pay out in KRW, Alipay or WeChat Pay.
Olive Young: The Myeongdong flagship's official FAQ says immediate refunds need your physical passport (a photo doesn't count) and at least ₩15,000 per receipt. The refund is 5–8% of the price. Sanitary goods, shopping bags and dried fruit aren't eligible. Ask at the counter whether the store offers an immediate refund.

Concert merch booths

Payment methods at official merch (MD) booths are set for each event and posted in the organizer's notice. Read the notice before the show, and bring a physical card plus some cash as backup. Only buy from official booths or official online shops.

FAQ

Can I use Apple Pay in Korea?

We couldn't find official guidance on whether Apple Pay works with cards issued abroad. Always carry a physical card.

Do I need cash in Korea?

A little. Cards work almost everywhere, but traditional markets, some street stalls and cashless-bus rules mean you should carry some won and use a Tmoney card or WOWPASS for buses.

Do street food stalls take cards?

Some do, and some take QR payments like Alipay+ or zero pay. VISITKOREA still warns that some market and street shops are cash only, so keep small bills.

Is there a minimum purchase for tax refunds?

Yes. You need ₩15,000 or more in one payment. For an immediate refund at the store, the payment must also be under ₩1,000,000, and your total immediate refunds for the trip can't go over ₩5,000,000.