eSIM for South Korea

Viasimo's South Korea eSIM starts at $1.29 for 500 MB over 7 days, running on LG Uplus and SKTelecom with 5G where available. Plans last 3 to 180 days, arrive by email in minutes and install from your phone's settings, with no app.

Works everywhere in South Korea

Busan
Chungcheongnam-do
Daegu
Daejeon
Gangwon-do
Gwangju
Gyeonggi-do

Select your planIn stock

Duration

Quantity

Unlimited data · 3 Days$8.00

Unlimited data · 3 Days ×1

$8.00

Going to more than one country? See regional plans

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Dial *#06# on your phone. If you see an EID number, your phone takes an eSIM. Most phones sold since 2019 do.

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Network

Which networks does the South Korea eSIM use?

Host networks: LG Uplus / SKTelecom

Your eSIM picks one automatically; you do not choose or switch between them.

Data: 100 MB – 50 GB or unlimited
Validity: 3–180 days
Speed: 4G LTE / 5G
Hotspot / tethering: Supported on most devices
Activation: Automatic on arrival
Speed management: Roughly 2-3 GB per day at full speed, sometimes less depending on the local carrier, then reduced
Top-ups: Add more data from your account, before the plan expires
Text messages (SMS): Data only: use an app for verification codes
Connects via: Singapore
Unused validity: 180 days before it must be installed

Setting up Buy, scan the QR code we email you, and switch on the travel line when you land. How it works

Choosing a plan

How much data do you need?

The allowances below are our sizing recommendations, not measurements. The plan beside each one is the cheapest option on this page that covers it.

Recommended data allowances matched to the plans sold for this destination
You are	Plan for	Cheapest plan that covers it
LightMaps, messaging and the occasional lookup	About 1 GB a week	$1.791 GB, 7 days
TypicalMaps, social, photos and some browsing	About 3 to 7 GB a week	$5.005 GB, 30 days
HeavyVideo streaming, video calls and uploads	10 GB a week or more	$9.0010 GB, 30 days
Working or sharingTethering a laptop, calls and cloud sync	20 GB a week or more	$14.9920 GB, 30 days

Work it out from your own habits

What a week abroad costs

eSIM, local SIM or roaming?

Charged per day

Your carrier roaming

Queue and plastic

A SIM at the airport

$1.29

Viasimo, one bundle

Only the Viasimo figure is a price: it comes from today’s live catalog. The other two rows are directional, not quoted rates.

About this eSIM

Korea assumes you are online. Restaurants seat you by app, cafes hand you a QR code instead of a menu, subway exits are numbered in a way that only makes sense with a live map, and the navigation app you rely on at home probably will not give you walking or driving directions here. A travel eSIM solves the practical half of that before you arrive: install it at home, switch it on after landing at Incheon, Gimpo or Gimhae, and you are on a Korean network without queueing at an airport counter.

Getting online when you land

Set the profile up on wifi before you fly. Installation needs a connection, and the arrivals process at Incheon is long enough without adding a phone problem to it. After landing, enable the travel line, allow data roaming for it, and make it your data line while keeping your home number live for calls and bank codes.

The airports have thorough indoor coverage, so the line should attach while you are still walking to immigration. Use that window: buy your airport rail or bus ticket, check which subway line reaches your accommodation, and download the local navigation apps before you leave the terminal. If the line does not register, a flight mode toggle is the fix, and airport wifi will keep you going in the meantime.

The networks you'll be on

Visiting traffic here runs on LG Uplus or SKTelecom, both on 5G, and your phone attaches to one of them automatically. In practice you will be on 4G or 5G continuously in the cities and along the main corridors; Korean mobile infrastructure is dense and it shows in how rarely you think about it.

There is nothing to configure. Leave selection automatic and expect the connection to keep up with what you throw at it, including video calls on a moving train, which is the sort of thing that fails in many countries and generally does not here.

Where coverage holds, and where it thins

The honest summary is that Korea is one of the easier countries in the world to stay connected in. Seoul and Busan are covered comprehensively, including underground: the subway systems carry signal in the tunnels as well as the platforms, so your commute is not a dead zone. KTX trains hold a connection along most of the route, with brief drops in the longer tunnels through the mountains. Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju, Incheon, Jeonju and Gyeongju behave the same way, as do the expressways between them.

Where it genuinely thins is in the mountains and on the water. Seoraksan, Jirisan and the higher trails in the national parks lose signal in the deeper valleys and on the sheltered flanks, even though summits and ridge lines often have it. The interior of Jeju is patchy on the Hallasan trails and along parts of the coastal walking routes, while Jeju City, Seogwipo and the main roads are fine. Ferries to the smaller islands drop out once you are properly offshore. Rural inland valleys in Gangwon and the far southwest can be thin between villages.

The area near the northern border, including the DMZ tour route, behaves oddly and is not somewhere to rely on a connection. That is worth knowing simply so you are not confused when it happens.

What you'll actually use data for here

Navigation first, and this is the point most visitors get wrong. Korean mapping is dominated by local apps rather than the global one you are used to, and they are what you need for walking directions, driving and public transport. Downloading them and setting them up is the single highest value thing you can do with your first ten minutes of data.

Then transport: subway route planning, bus arrival times, KTX bookings and taxi hailing, which is app driven in the cities and much easier than flagging one down. Translation is close to essential outside the main tourist streets, including the camera translation mode for menus and ingredient labels, which earns its keep in convenience stores and small restaurants.

Food and queueing culture add more. Popular restaurants and cafes use remote waitlist apps, and being able to put your name down before you walk over saves an hour. Tickets for palaces, observation decks, baseball games and concerts sell online. Add photo and video uploads, streaming on long train rides, and video calls home across a big time difference, and you will use more than you expect. Public wifi is widespread and mostly free, but it is not a substitute for a line that works while you are walking.

Before you fly

Install the eSIM at home and check your phone is unlocked and eSIM capable. Install the Korean navigation and translation apps before departure so you are not downloading them on arrival. If you plan to use a transit card, look into how to get one at the airport, since it is cheaper and faster than paying per journey.

Turn data roaming off on your home line and leave it reachable for calls and verification codes. Download offline maps for any national park you plan to hike, and remember that a full day of walking with the screen on will drain a battery faster than a day of city sightseeing; a power bank is worth the weight.

Unlimited runs at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continues slower.

Before you buy

Important to know

This is a data-only eSIM. It carries no calls or SMS on its own number.
Your existing number stays on your primary SIM, so calls and verification texts keep working.
Your phone must support eSIM, and some carrier-locked phones cannot install one.
Signal varies with location, terrain, congestion and your handset. Dense urban areas are consistently better served than remote ones.
5G only works where the host network has deployed it and your phone supports it. Everywhere else it falls back to 4G LTE.
The eSIM selects a host network automatically. You cannot pick or switch between them.
Unlimited plans run at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continue at a reduced speed. Read the fair usage policy

Looking for more information?

Frequently asked questions

Does an eSIM work in South Korea?

Yes. Your South Korea eSIM connects automatically the moment you arrive, with no roaming fees and nothing to set up at the airport. The host networks it can use are LG Uplus, SKTelecom. Coverage runs on 4G LTE and 5G where the network has rolled it out, and falls back to 4G elsewhere.

Do I get 5G in South Korea?

Yes, where it has been deployed. 5G runs on LG Uplus, SKTelecom in South Korea, and your eSIM uses it automatically on a 5G-capable phone, dropping back to 4G LTE outside covered areas. No country is covered everywhere, so 5G availability varies by location.

Do I need a K-ETA to visit South Korea in 2026?

Not if you are from a temporarily exempt country. The UK Foreign Office says British nationals travelling visa-free are exempt until 31 December 2026. If you need one, apply only through the official Korean government K-ETA site and allow up to 72 hours. Separately, you can submit the free online e-Arrival card in the 72 hours before landing.

Does Google Maps work in South Korea?

Only partly, for now. Detailed navigation has long been limited because map data couldn't leave the country. In 2026 the government allowed Google to export 1:5,000 map data under security conditions, which should improve navigation over time. Until then, Naver Map and Kakao Map give reliable walking, transit and driving directions, and both have English interfaces.

Which Korean mobile network does my eSIM use?

It connects to SK Telecom or LG Uplus, with 5G. In Opensignal's December 2025 report, SK Telecom won nine awards outright and shared three, while LG Uplus won 5G Availability. KT, the third operator, won 5G Download Speed. Leave network selection on automatic, and your phone will pick the stronger of the two networks.

What is the 1330 number in Korea?

1330 is the Korea Tourism Organization's travel hotline, open from 7am to midnight with English and other languages. It can set up three-way calls with emergency services to help with interpretation. For emergencies, call 112 for police or 119 for ambulance and fire. The eSIM is data-only, so call from your home SIM.

How much data do I need for 7 days in South Korea?

For 7 days in South Korea, Viasimo sells 100 MB for $1.29, 500 MB for $1.29, 1 GB for $1.79, and unlimited data for $17.00. Our sizing recommendation, not a measurement: maps, messaging and the occasional lookup, about 1 GB a week; maps, social, photos and some browsing, about 3 to 7 GB a week. The data calculator on this site works it out from how you actually use your phone.

Installing, keeping your number, topping up and hotspot work the same everywhere: see how it works →

Know before you go

South Korea: what to know before you land

In South Korea your eSIM connects to SK Telecom or LG Uplus, with 5G. SK Telecom collected the most awards in Opensignal's December 2025 report, and LG Uplus won for 5G availability. Before you fly, check the online e-Arrival card and whether you are exempt from K-ETA, because UK nationals are exempt until the end of 2026.

Emergency: 112 police
119 ambulance and fire
Plugs: CF 220V
Currency: South Korean won (KRW)

Main airports

ICN Incheon International Airport
GMP Gimpo International Airport
PUS Gimhae International Airport
CJU Jeju International Airport

Apps worth having Naver MapKakao MapKakaoTalkKakao TPapago

K-ETA, the e-Arrival card and Q-Code before Incheon (ICN)

South Korea uses an electronic travel authorisation called K-ETA for visa-free visitors, but several nationalities are temporarily exempt. The UK Foreign Office says British nationals travelling visa-free are exempt until 31 December 2026. If you are not exempt, apply only through the official Korean government K-ETA website, and allow up to 72 hours for approval. The Foreign Office warns that other websites offering K-ETA are generally scams.

The paper arrival card now has an online alternative, the e-Arrival card. It is free and can be submitted in the 72 hours before you land. Fill it in before you leave for the airport, rather than in the queue at Incheon (ICN), Gimpo (GMP) or Gimhae (PUS).

There is also a health check. The UK is currently classed as a "Quarantine Inspection Required Area", so if you have any symptoms of illness you must complete a Q-Code online health questionnaire, or a paper form, on arrival. Failing to complete required health screening can lead to a fine of up to KRW 10 million. Have your eSIM switched on as you taxi in so you can complete the questionnaire on your phone if you need to.

SK Telecom and LG Uplus in Opensignal's December 2025 report

South Korea has three mobile network operators: SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus. In Opensignal's December 2025 report, SK Telecom won nine awards outright and shared three more. LG Uplus took three, including 5G Availability, meaning its users spent the most time connected to 5G. KT also won three, including 5G Download Speed.

Your eSIM uses SK Telecom or LG Uplus, so you are on the network with the most overall wins or the one that keeps users on 5G the longest. It is not tied to just one of them. Network selection is automatic, so leave it that way. Your phone will use whichever of the two your plan offers the strongest signal for.

Korean networks are designed for very heavy use: 4K streaming on the subway, video calls on the KTX, and live broadcasts from crowded concerts. Even so, the national parks and outlying islands have gaps, as on any network. Use the strong urban coverage to download hiking maps and ferry tickets before you head to Seoraksan, Jirisan or the smaller islands off Jeju.

Google Maps, Naver Map and Kakao Map in 2026

For years, Google Maps in South Korea had limited navigation, because the government would not let Google take detailed map data out of the country. In 2016 Google turned down an offer of conditional access, because it would not agree to reduce map quality around locations the government considered sensitive. Further attempts followed, including one in 2025. In 2026 the government allowed Google to export map data at 1:5,000 scale under security conditions, which opens the way to more detailed navigation once those conditions are met.

Until the improved Google service is fully available, the dependable choices are the Korean apps. Naver Map and Kakao Map both give walking, transit and driving directions, show subway exit numbers and bus arrival times, and have English interfaces. Install one before you fly and search for your hotel in it while you are still on home wifi.

Both apps need live data to show real-time transit times, which is where your eSIM comes in. They also work well alongside Papago, Naver's translation app, for reading signs and menus with your camera.

The 1330 hotline and Korea's emergency numbers

South Korea's emergency numbers are 112 for the police and 119 for both ambulance and fire. The Korea Tourism Organization runs the 1330 travel hotline from 7am to midnight. It offers English and other languages, and it can set up three-way calls with the emergency services if you are struggling to explain what is happening. For round-the-clock interpretation, the Danuri call centre on 1577 1366 is open 24 hours a day.

Your eSIM is data-only, so you can't call these numbers on it. Use your home SIM, which can still reach emergency services and normally connects to 1330 while roaming, at your carrier's call rates. Save all three numbers before you travel.

For non-urgent problems, such as a lost bag in a taxi or a question about a bus route, you can often get faster help by messaging your accommodation on KakaoTalk or WhatsApp. Korean hosts usually reply quickly, and a written message is easier to translate than a phone call. Keep a screenshot of your hotel's address in Korean script, so you can show it to a driver or a police officer if you need to.

Researched October 2026 · 4 sources

gov.uk South Korea travel advice: entry requirements (GOV.UK)
gov.uk South Korea travel advice: getting help (GOV.UK)
insights.opensignal.com South Korea mobile network experience, December 2025 (Opensignal)
en.wikipedia.org Google Maps (Wikipedia)

7-day itinerary

Seven days in South Korea: Seoul, Gyeongju and Busan

A first-timer's week by fast train: three days of palaces, markets and the DMZ from Seoul, two days among the royal tombs and temples of Gyeongju, and two days on the coast in Busan. The KTX makes it easy to do without a car.

Length: 7 days
Bases: 3

When to go April to early June and late September to November are the best times, with spring blossom and autumn colour and mild weather; July and August are hot, humid and wet with the monsoon, and winter is cold and dry, especially in Seoul.

Day 1 Seoul

Seoul: Gyeongbokgung, Bukchon and Insadong

The AREX express train from Incheon airport (ICN) to Seoul Station takes about 45–50 minutes.

Start at Gyeongbokgung, the main Joseon-dynasty palace, timing your visit for the changing of the guard at Gwanghwamun Gate, and visit the National Folk Museum inside the grounds. Walk up through Bukchon Hanok Village, where traditional tiled houses line the hillside lanes; keep your voice down, as people live there. Continue to Insadong for tea houses and craft shops, then walk along the Cheonggyecheon stream in the evening.

Signal Seoul has some of the densest 5G in the world on SK Telecom and LG Uplus, including in subway stations and on trains.
Day 2 Seoul

Changdeokgung, Namsan and Myeongdong

Visit Changdeokgung, a UNESCO-listed palace laid out to follow the hills, and book the guided tour of its Secret Garden (Huwon) in advance. In the afternoon, explore Gwangjang Market, one of the city's oldest, for mung bean pancakes and other street food. Take the cable car or walk up Namsan to N Seoul Tower for the view at sunset, and finish in Myeongdong's shopping streets.

Signal 5G is strong across central Seoul, including Gwangjang Market and the Namsan cable car; use Naver Map or Kakao Map for live transit times.
Day 3 Seoul

The DMZ

Most DMZ tours leave central Seoul early and take about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes to reach the area.

Join an organised tour to the Demilitarised Zone north of Seoul. Typical stops include Imjingak Park and the Freedom Bridge, the Third Infiltration Tunnel dug from the North, which you walk down into, and the Dora Observatory, which looks across into North Korea. Bring your passport, which is checked at military checkpoints, and follow the guides' rules on photography. Return to Seoul for the evening in Hongdae or Itaewon.

Signal Coverage is generally good on the way, but there is no signal inside the infiltration tunnel, and photography is restricted at some sites.
Day 4 Gyeongju

KTX to Gyeongju: tombs and Cheomseongdae

KTX from Seoul Station to Singyeongju takes about 2 hours 10 minutes; a bus or taxi to the centre takes about 20 minutes.

Take the KTX south to Gyeongju, capital of the Silla kingdom for almost 1,000 years. Walk through Daereungwon, a park of grassy royal burial mounds, and go inside the Cheonmachong tomb to see how they were built. Continue to Cheomseongdae, a 7th-century stone observatory, and the Gyeongju National Museum. At dusk, visit Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, where the reconstructed pavilions are lit and reflected in the water.

Signal Coverage holds on the KTX for most of the journey, switching between 5G and LTE, and Gyeongju's centre has reliable 5G and 4G.
Day 5 Gyeongju

Bulguksa and Seokguram

Bulguksa is about 30–40 minutes by bus from central Gyeongju; Seokguram is about 15 minutes further by shuttle bus or an hour on foot.

Take the bus to Bulguksa, a UNESCO-listed Buddhist temple with stone pagodas and wooden halls on stone terraces. From there, take the shuttle bus or walk the forest trail up Tohamsan to Seokguram Grotto, where a granite Buddha sits in an artificial cave looking towards the East Sea. In the afternoon, rent a bike and ride around Bomun Lake, or explore the Hwangnidan-gil lanes in town.

Signal 4G is good at Bulguksa and at the Seokguram car park; signal is weaker on the forest trail up the mountain.
Day 6 Busan

Busan: Gamcheon and Jagalchi

KTX from Singyeongju to Busan takes about 30 minutes; buses from Gyeongju take about an hour.

Travel to Busan and head to Gamcheon Culture Village, a hillside of painted houses and art installations above the harbour. Come down to Jagalchi Fish Market, the largest in Korea, where you can choose seafood downstairs and have it cooked upstairs. Walk through the BIFF Square street food stalls and the Gukje Market, then take the Busan Tower lift in Yongdusan Park for views over the port.

Signal Busan has 5G across the centre and in the metro; reception is slightly weaker in the narrow alleys of Gamcheon but still usable.
Day 7 Busan

Haedong Yonggungsa and Haeundae

Haedong Yonggungsa is about 30 minutes by taxi from Haeundae; KTX from Busan to Seoul takes about 2 hours 30 minutes.

Visit Haedong Yonggungsa, a Buddhist temple built on the rocks right by the sea on Busan's north-east coast, best early before tour groups arrive. Then head to Haeundae for its beach and the Dongbaek Island coastal walk, or ride the Haeundae Blueline Park sky capsules along the coast to Cheongsapo. Fly out from Gimhae or take the KTX back to Seoul for your departure.

Signal Strong 5G along the Haeundae coast and at Gimhae airport; the temple's seaside rocks also keep a good signal.

Staying connected on this route

Install Naver Map or Kakao Map and Papago before you fly, as Google Maps navigation is still limited.
Submit the free e-Arrival card in the 72 hours before landing, and check whether you need K-ETA.
Book the Changdeokgung Secret Garden tour and DMZ tour online in advance and save the confirmations.
Keep your passport with you on DMZ day; checkpoints and tunnels have no signal for showing documents online.

Itinerary sources · 5

whc.unesco.org UNESCO World Heritage: Changdeokgung Palace Complex
whc.unesco.org UNESCO World Heritage: Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple
whc.unesco.org UNESCO World Heritage: Gyeongju Historic Areas
gov.uk GOV.UK foreign travel advice: South Korea entry requirements
insights.opensignal.com Opensignal: South Korea

Where this comes from

Information and verification

Each block below says what was checked and when. Anything we cannot date, we do not claim.

Prices and plans: Every price and allowance on this page is read from the live catalog, not typed in.; Verified October 30, 2026
Host networks: The operator list comes from the network partner that carries this eSIM.; Verified October 30, 2026