Eligible visitors can get value-added tax refunded on qualifying purchases, provided they meet residency, purchase, and departure requirements.
Lim Dae-ho ·
published
· version 1
What this means for travelers
Travelers who qualify must buy from certified stores showing a tax-free or tax-refund mark, keep purchases new and unopened, depart within three months of purchase, and report the refund to customs at the airport when leaving; refunds are then paid within 1 to 2 months via credit card, Alipay, or WeChat Pay.
Who Qualifies
The refund is available to a non-Korean citizen who has stayed in Korea for less than six months, or an overseas Korean who has stayed less than three months and has lived abroad for more than two years or holds permanent residency in another country.
Purchase Requirements
Goods must be worth at least 15,000 won per receipt.
Items must be new, unopened, and unused.
The store sign or receipt must show a certification mark reading either "Tax free" or "Tax refund."
Travelers must depart Korea within three months of the purchase date.
Immediate Tax Refund Option
This option is offered mainly at department stores, large supermarkets, and select smaller shops and convenience stores.
To use it, present your passport when paying.
A single payment must be at least 15,000 won but less than 1,000,000 won.
Total spending using this option must be no more than 5,000,000 won during the whole trip.
At the Airport
Travelers must report the refund to customs at the airport when departing.
At Incheon Airport, the refund counter is located in Terminal 1 on the 3rd floor Duty Free Zone near Gate 28, or in Terminal 2 on the 3rd floor at Check-in counters G & F or the Duty Free Zone near Gate 253.
Refund Processing
Refunds are processed within 1 to 2 months.
Refunds can be paid via international credit card, Alipay, or WeChat Pay.
Getting Help
The Korea Tourism Organization operates the 1330 Travel Helpline & Complaint Center, offering a telephone and real-time chat service.
The phone number is +82-2-1330, with support in Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese, Thai, and Malay.
Calls are free on Wi-Fi, though data charges may apply.
Korea Tourism Organization —
Duty Free & Tax Refunds(official notice from the publishing body, collected Fri 7 Aug 2026 (KST))
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