South Korea is a popular tourist destination that sees millions of international visitors every year. However, many travelers are surprised by expensive mobile data roaming charges on their phone bills after a trip. This guide provides tourists with information about data roaming in South Korea. It explains what data roaming is, potential costs, and clear steps to avoid fees by disabling the feature or getting a local SIM card. Let’s dive into!
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As a tourist, there are some important things to know about roaming in South Korea:
Phone roaming means using your cell phone and its service when you are abroad, outside of your home country network coverage area.
Data roaming in South Korea allows you to access the Internet on your cellular device while traveling in South Korea. You can use your phone to surf the web, check emails, stream videos or music, use social media, like you would do at home.
If you use a lot of data or roam for an extended period, data roaming is particularly expensive.
Korea uses WCDMA and LTE networks, so your device must also support these standards to roam. Verify compatibility with your home carrier.
Roaming rates in South Korea are rather expensive, depending on the mobile network carrier and the specific roaming plan. On average, voice calls can cost around $1-$3 per minute, while data usage can cost $5-$10 per MB.
However, there are also more affordable roaming plans available, such as daily or weekly packages, that can help reduce the cost of roaming.
▶ Our recommendation: check with your mobile network operator for the most up-to-date information on their roaming rates and plans.
There are 06 main ways to avoid roaming charges while traveling in South Korea for tourists:
When you arrive in South Korea, you can purchase a prepaid local SIM card from a mobile network operator in South Korea like SK Telecom, KT, or LG U+ and replace it with your current SIM card.
Cost: The cost of a local SIM card can vary depending on the mobile network operator and the plan you choose. Prices typically range from around $10 to $50.
Pros: make calls, send texts and use data within Korea without any roaming fees.
Cons:
How it works: You can purchase a roaming package from daily or weekly data packages specifically for travelers looking to stay connected while roaming.
Pick the amount that suits your usage needs and pre-pay for it at a lower rate than pay-as-you-go charges. Check online for purchase options before your trip.
Cost: vary depending on the mobile network operator and specific plan. Prices typically range from around $5 to $15 per day.
Pros: convenient because you can continue to use your current phone number and SIM card.
Cons:
You can connect to Wi-Fi networks in South Korea to access the internet on your mobile device without using data roaming.
Cost: Free, although some Wi-Fi networks may require a fee or registration.
Pros: can be a cost-effective way to avoid data roaming charges, as you can use the internet for free or at a lower cost.
Cons:
You can purchase a roaming SIM card from a third-party provider that allows you to use voice, text, and data services in South Korea without incurring roaming charges.
Cost: vary depending on the provider and the specific plan you choose. Prices typically range from around $20 to $50.
Pros:
Cons:
A WiFi pocket is a small, portable device that provides wireless internet access through a local network.
How it works:
You can rent a Wi-Fi pocket from a local rental company or online service. It is usually small and lightweight, and can be easily carried in a pocket or bag. You can connect multiple devices to the Wi-Fi pocket, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
Cost:
Cost varies depending on the rental company and the length of the rental period. It often costs around $5 to $10 per day for a Wi-Fi pocket rental. Some companies offer discounts for longer rental periods, so it may be worth considering if you plan to stay in South Korea for an extended period.
Pros:
Cons:
Another way to avoid roaming charges while traveling is using message and communication apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or LINE before your trip.
By this way, you can send messages and make calls for free over WiFi. Skype to contact family and friends back home without using any cellular data.
As you can see many benefits of a physical local SIM card for tourists.
If your phone works with eSIM, there is no reason not to use South Korean eSIM for staying connected during your trip.
Here is a comparison table between South Korea eSIM and roaming with your home SIM card:
| Criteria | eSIM | Roaming with home SIM |
| Cost | Usually cheaper than roaming rates if you buy a mobile plan. | Very expensive to roam internationally without a plan. Prices are per megabyte used. |
| Convenience | Easy online setup, no SIM swap. | No setup needed but phone will constantly try foreign networks. |
| Device Compatibility | Check if your device supports eSIM activation. | Any phone can roam but incompatibility issues are possible. |
| Setup Process | Purchase and activate a plan remotely. | No action needed but high roaming bills can occur accidentally. |
| Network Coverage | Coverage on one Korean network only. | Roaming between all carriers’ networks but speeds may be slower. |
| Data Usage | Stuck within purchased plan limits. | Very easy to rack up huge roaming overages without realizing. |
So which eSIM providers to choose for the best experience?
Gigago is the best provider of eSIM for South Korean and other countries.
For South Korea, Gigago offers multiple data plan options, starting from a 3-day plan with 1GB of data per day for $5.90 as their most minimal plan. They also have 5-day, 7-day, 10-day, 15-day, 20-day, and 30-day plans ranging from 1GB to unlimited data per day, with prices from $5.90 up to $106.50.
Benefits of Gigago South Korea eSIM:
To get more details about plan features and installation guide, visit Gigago South Korea eSIM.
Important note: To buy an eSIM for South Korea, make sure your phone is unlocked and eSIM-supported. Check this full updated list of eSIM-compatible devices.
Learning how to turn off data roaming is essential to help save your cost while traveling in South Korea. Here we explain how to do it with the Android and iOS version.
Here are the steps to turn off data roaming when traveling to South Korea:
For iPhone, take the steps below to switch off roaming functionality:
Note: If you have an iPhone with a physical SIM card, you can also turn off international roaming by removing the SIM card before you travel.
Using data while roaming in South Korea can be very expensive, ranging from $10-20 per megabyte. It’s best to disable roaming on your phone unless you purchase a local Korean SIM card. Prepaid data SIMs usually offer 1-2GB for around $20-30.
On iPhones, go to Settings > Mobile Data and turn off the “Roaming” option. On Android phones, go to Settings > Network & Internet/Wireless & Networks > Mobile Network and disable “Data Roaming.” This prevents unexpected charges from roaming.
Yes, you should be able to make and receive voice calls while roaming. However, you may be charged outside of any included roaming minutes. It’s cheaper to use messaging apps like KakaoTalk over WiFi instead of cellular data.
Switch off your mobile data immediately to avoid heavy overage fees. Only use WiFi until you get back. You can also contact your carrier to buy more roaming data bundles if necessary during your trip.
In conclusion, charges of data roaming in South Korea can be expensive for international visitors if proper precautions are not taken. To avoid unwanted roaming fees, it is strongly recommended that tourists purchase a local prepaid SIM card from one of the major Korean carriers upon arrival. This provides an affordable way to access data services without roaming charges during your whole trip. Travel eSIMs are another excellent option if supported by your device. Either way, using a local SIM is by far the most cost-effective way to use your phone in South Korea.
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