The three ways to buy
At a carrier counter after you land. SK Telecom, KT and LG U+ each staff several desks inside Incheon Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Ask which tourist products are available for your phone and whether activation can be completed immediately. Compare the quote with pre-order offers.
Pre-order online, collect at the airport. Resellers like Chingu Mobile offer their own plans and pricing and hold your SIM at a fixed pickup point. Check both the pickup hours and the activation hours before ordering.
Install an eSIM before travelling. An eSIM is a digital SIM profile for a compatible phone. Follow the seller’s instructions for installation and activation; the service period may begin at a different stage depending on the product. Check whether it includes voice and SMS or provides data only.
Incheon Airport telecom counters
Terminal 1 (official facility list):
| Operator | Floor | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| SKT Roaming Center | 1F | East, near Arrival Gate A | 06:00–22:00 |
| KT Roaming Center | 1F | East, near Arrival Gate A | 06:00–22:00 |
| LG U+ Roaming Center | 1F | East, near Arrival Gate A | 06:00–22:00 |
| SKT Roaming Center | 1F | West, near Arrival Gate F | 24 hours |
| KT Roaming Center | 1F | West, near Arrival Gate F | 24 hours |
| LG U+ Roaming Center | 1F | West, near Arrival Gate F | 24 hours |
| Wi-Fi Dosirak | 1F | West, near Arrival Gate F | 06:00–22:00 |
| SKT Roaming Center | 3F | West, near Departure Gate 4 | 06:00–22:00 |
| KT Roaming Center | 3F | West, near Departure Gate 4 | 06:00–14:00 |
| KT / LG U+ Roaming Center | 3F | East, near Departure Gate 3 | 06:00–22:00 |
| SKT Roaming Center | 3F | Duty-free area, near Gate 27 | 07:00–21:00 |
Terminal 2 (official facility list):
| Operator | Floor | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| SKT Roaming Center | 1F | Near Entrance 7 | 24 hours |
| KT Roaming Center | 1F | Near Entrance 4 | 24 hours |
| LG U+ Roaming Center | 1F | Near Entrance 4 | 24 hours |
| LG U+ Roaming Center | 1F | Near Entrance 7 | 06:00–22:00 |
| Wi-Fi Dosirak | 1F | Near Entrance 3 | 06:00–22:00 |
| SKT / KT / LG U+ Roaming Center | 3F | Between check-in rows F–G | 06:00–22:00 |
| SKT Roaming Center | 3F | Duty-free area, near Gate 251 | 07:00–21:00 |
The 1F desks are on the arrivals floor and may be convenient after landing. The 3F desks are on the departures level; those inside the duty-free area are airside. A landside 3F pickup can still be valid if your seller directs you there.
Check pickup and activation hours separately
Collecting a SIM and activating its service can have different opening hours. Chingu Mobile's own pickup guide puts collection at the Airport Bookstore — Terminal 1 ground floor, arrivals, right at Exit 7; Terminal 2 third floor, departures, behind check-in Row D — open 07:00–21:00 daily including weekends and holidays, but with activation only 10:00–19:00, because activation runs on the carrier's own hours. For a plan subject to those hours, collecting it at 20:00 would not mean it could be activated that evening. A desk being open 24 hours does not guarantee every plan can be activated at every hour; confirm the service before buying. Bring your passport either way; staff scan it at the counter.
What it costs
Chingu Mobile's price list, checked 8 September 2026; these are its own advertised products:
| Plan | 14 days | 60 days | 90 days | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic, Type C (Samsung/iPhone, SIM or eSIM) | ₩25,000 | ₩40,000 | ₩50,000 | The plan includes calls and unlimited data at 3 Mbps, without hotspot sharing. |
| Basic, Type A (any smartphone, SIM only) | ₩28,000 | ₩55,000 | ₩70,000 | The plan includes calls and unlimited data at 3 Mbps, with hotspot sharing. |
| Basic Pro, Type C | ₩26,000 | ₩50,000 | ₩60,000 | The plan provides 10 GB of high-speed data, followed by unlimited data at 3 Mbps. |
| Speedup, Type C | ₩40,000 | ₩85,000 | ₩120,000 | The advertised high-speed allowance is 11 GB per month plus 2 GB per day, at up to 150 Mbps. |
The separately advertised data-only eSIM costs ₩22,000 for 5 days, ₩42,000 for 20 days or ₩90,000 for 60 days in the checked price list. It advertises unlimited data at up to 100 Mbps and hotspot sharing, but does not include a phone number or calls. The Business tier ranges from ₩6,000 for 3 days to ₩42,000 for 30 days. Compare the exact product and support hours rather than assuming every carrier counter costs more.
What you have to show, and why
Bring your passport and the booking details requested by the provider. Korean carriers must verify identity when opening a line. The Telecommunications Business Act’s enforcement decree includes a passport among the documents accepted for foreign subscribers. The seller can explain any additional requirements for the plan you choose.
Opening a mobile line is separate from the subscriber-based identity verification required by some domestic apps. A tourist plan may support calls and SMS without supporting that identity check. Ask about all three features before buying.
Confirm these details before buying
- Data-only is not a phone number. The cheapest eSIM tiers carry no voice or SMS, so they cannot receive carrier SMS; a separately active home line may still receive messages under its own roaming terms.
- Departures-floor desks are not arrivals desks. Some 3F counters are landside and others airside. Follow the collection instructions for your specific order.
- Chingu’s cited pickup guide gives activation until 19:00 even though pickup runs to 21:00.
- Type C plans are Samsung and iPhone only and carry no hotspot; Type A costs more and adds it.
- "Unlimited" means 3 Mbps on the entry tiers — check whether that speed suits the activities you plan.
- Install the eSIM using a reliable internet connection. Use a reliable connection and follow the seller’s instructions, preferably before departure when the product permits it.
