How to Pay in Korea: Cards, Cash and Transit

Can you use a foreign credit card in Korea?

Yes, in most shops. The Korea Tourism Organization says most Korean stores accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex and UnionPay with no purchase limit.

Acceptance is not the same as success. The Korea Times reported in April 2025 that payments with cards issued outside Korea sometimes fail even at stores that say they take most cards. Our pick is to carry two cards on different networks, so a declined Visa can be followed by a Mastercard rather than a trip to find cash.

Where do foreign cards stop working?

Online, more than in person. Korean websites and apps often ask for identity verification that a foreign card or phone number cannot pass. A May 2026 Korea JoongAng Daily report on a Yanolja study found that sign-up and authentication for online payments made up 13.1% of foreign travellers' complaints, and two travellers from New Zealand quoted in the report could not book cinema tickets without a Korean card or bank account.

The practical rule is to expect friction on anything booked through a Korean-language app, and to buy in person or through an English booking site when a Korean one refuses your card.

Where do you still need cash?

At traditional markets, street stalls and transit card top-ups. The Korea Tourism Organization advises carrying petty cash because traditional markets and street shops may accept cash only. The Korea Times reported in June 2026 that a government push to improve historic markets sets card acceptance as a basic standard, which is a target rather than a guarantee for any single stall.

The other place is the transit card. Seoul Metropolitan Government said in October 2025 that foreign visitors had to buy and reload transit cards with cash, because overseas cards did not work in the transit payment system. The card-accepting machines added since March 2026 sell passes and single tickets. The city's announcement does not say they reload a standard T-money card, so plan on topping up with cash at a convenience store or station machine.

Can you tap your credit card on the subway?

Not at the gate yet. Seoul's plan fits EMV terminals on buses first and replaces the gate terminals on subway Lines 1 to 8 in 2027, with town buses and private railways following between 2028 and 2030. Until then, a ride needs a transit card, a pass or a single-journey ticket.

A foreign card can now buy those. Since 17 March 2026, 440 ticket machines at 273 stations on Lines 1 to 8 sell Climate Card passes (1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 days) and single-journey tickets to Visa and Mastercard holders, as well as Kakao Pay and Naver Pay users. Seoul says an average service fee of about 3.7% applies. What a ride costs once you are through the gate is covered in the Seoul subway fares guide.

Do phone wallets and Korean payment apps work?

Some do, and none replaces a physical card. The Korea Times put NFC terminal adoption at around 10% of merchants in March 2025, which is why Apple Pay has struggled to become a way to pay across Korea.

Chinese and regional wallets do better. The Korea Tourism Organization says Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay are accepted at ZeroPay member stores. Korean apps are moving. The May 2026 Korea JoongAng Daily report said neither Kakao Pay nor Naver Pay supported foreign tourist accounts. Weeks later, on 4 June 2026, Naver opened passport verification to foreign users, which unlocks booking, ordering and payment through Naver Map without a Korean phone number. Kakao Pay has announced no equivalent.

How do you pay for a taxi?

By card, cash or transit card. Seoul Metropolitan Government says taxi fares can be paid in cash or by credit card, and a public transportation card works for taxis as well as the subway and buses.

To book rather than hail, Kakao Mobility's K.ride app was built for foreign visitors. According to the Korea Herald, it launched on 4 June 2024, accepts sign-up with a Google or Apple account, and takes credit and debit cards issued outside Korea.

Can you get the tax back on shopping?

Yes, often at the till. At participating stores the tax is taken off the price when you pay, provided each purchase is at least 15,000 won and under 1 million won, and your purchases add up to no more than 5 million won in total. Goods must leave Korea within three months.

Those limits were raised on 1 January 2024, so a guide quoting lower caps is out of date.

Should you pay in won or in your home currency?

In won. When a card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, decline and pick won. American Express advises that paying in the local currency is usually the better option, particularly on a card with no foreign transaction fee.

Do you tip in Korea?

No. The Korea Tourism Organization says tipping is not required or expected, and asking for more water or side dishes does not add to the bill.

What to carry

Two cards on different networks, enough won for a market and a transit card top-up, and a transit card loaded on the first day. Before any of that, the entry paperwork comes first: the K-ETA and e-Arrival Card guide explains which form you need, and the South Korea travel guide covers the rest of the planning.