How to Get a Tax Refund in Korea as a Tourist

Prices in Korean shops include value-added tax (VAT), and some goods also carry individual consumption tax (ICT). As a short-term visitor you can often get those taxes back, but there are several ways to do it, each with its own limits. This guide walks through them using the Korea Tourism Organization's (KTO) official tax refund pages.

Duty free and tax refund are two different things

KTO splits Korea's tax-free shopping into two systems:

• Duty free: At airport and downtown duty free stores, prices already exclude taxes such as customs duties and consumption tax. KTO notes the duty-free limit is USD 800. Items bought duty free are not eligible for a further refund.
• Tax refund: At ordinary shops with a "Tax Refund" or "Tax Free" sign, you pay a price that includes VAT and ICT, and then either get the tax taken off at the register or claim it back later.

The rest of this guide is about the second system.

Who qualifies

According to KTO, you are eligible if you are a non-resident who does not earn income in Korea and you are:

• a foreigner staying in Korea for up to 6 months, or
• an overseas Korean who has lived abroad for 2 years or more and has stayed in Korea for 3 months or less.

The goods must be worth at least 15,000 won, and you must take them out of the country within 3 months of purchase. Diplomats in Korea, US military personnel stationed in Korea, people employed in Korea, and purchases made under a company name or through an agent do not qualify.

What you can and cannot claim

KTO says all taxable goods that include VAT are eligible, with examples like clothing, shoes, bags, cosmetics, perfume, home appliances, and ginseng. Not eligible:

• items prohibited by law, such as firearms, explosives, cultural properties, and narcotics
• services customs cannot inspect, such as cooked food or massage
• items opened or used before you leave the country

That last rule matters at the airport. KTO's older shopping guide also specifies that goods must be new, unopened, and unused. If you plan to use something during your trip, it may no longer qualify.

The four ways to get your money back

Method	Limit per KTO	How it works
Immediate refund	Single payment of 15,000 won or more and under 1,000,000 won; total of 5,000,000 won or less	Show your passport at checkout and pay the price with tax already deducted
Downtown refund	15,000 won or more; up to 6,000,000 won per transaction	Get a refund voucher, then claim at a downtown refund center or kiosk with passport, voucher, and credit card
Airport refund	15,000 won or more	Get customs export confirmation at departure, then claim at a refund counter or kiosk
Mailbox or mobile	15,000 won or more	After customs confirmation, drop the voucher in a mailbox or apply through the refund operator's site or app

Immediate refund is the simplest because there is nothing to claim later. KTO says it started on January 1, 2016, first in department stores and large supermarkets, and has spread to smaller shops and some convenience stores. Keep the 5,000,000 won trip total in mind if you shop heavily.

Downtown refund gets you money before you reach the airport, but you still have to show the goods and voucher to customs when you leave. KTO adds that downtown booths only process refunds for their own refund company, while airport and port counters accept all companies.

The airport order of steps

KTO's guide gives a specific sequence for Incheon, and the order matters because customs may want to see the goods:

1. Check in and get your boarding pass, but do not check your bag yet. Keep the refund receipts ready.
2. Show the goods and receipts to the customs officer to get the export approval stamp.
3. Check your luggage at the oversized baggage counter.
4. Go to a refund counter or kiosk with your passport and stamped receipt. Cash refunds are paid in the duty free zone after security.

If there is no counter, or it is closed, KTO says to write the recipient's details on the receipt and put it in the designated box. A processed refund then goes to your international credit card, Alipay, or WeChat Pay within 1 to 2 months.

Where the airport counters are

KTO lists these counter locations and staffed hours. Unstaffed kiosks are listed as open 24 hours at all but Jeju.

Airport	Refund counter	Staffed hours
Incheon T1	3F near Gate 28	07:00-22:00
Incheon T2	3F near Gates 225, 249, and 274	07:30-21:30
Gimpo	3F near Gate 36	06:30-20:00
Gimhae	2F near Gate 4	06:30-21:00
Jeju	3F near Gate 16	06:00-22:00

KTO notes that other harbors use mailboxes instead of counters, and that locations can change, so confirm on arrival.

Spotting a refund shop

Look for a "Tax Refund" or "Tax Free" sign or sticker with a refund company's logo at the entrance or the register. KTO names Global Blue, GLOBAL TAX FREE, Easy Tax Refund, and CubeRefund among them. Ask for the refund and show your passport when you pay, not afterward.

Key takeaways

• Short-term foreign visitors can reclaim VAT and ICT on goods worth 15,000 won or more that leave Korea within 3 months.
• Immediate refunds take the tax off at the register for single payments under 1,000,000 won, up to 5,000,000 won per trip.
• Downtown refunds allow up to 6,000,000 won per transaction, but you still clear customs on departure.
• At the airport, get the customs stamp before checking your bag.
• Opened or used items, cooked food, and services do not qualify.