No Korean phone number? These apps still work: k.ride, TADA and TABA for taxis, KakaoTalk (sign up with your own number), Ttareungyi city bikes and the government Emergency Ready App — each confirmed by the app’s own help pages or Korea Tourism Organization. Baemin food delivery has been reported to accept overseas numbers. Need a Korean number anyway? SKT, KT and LG U+ sell tourist SIMs and eSIMs with a 010 number (from ₩6,500 a day).
Apps that work without a Korean number
| For | App | Without a Korean number | Pay with | Languages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi | k.ride | No KakaoTalk sign-up needed — built for visitors (VisitKorea · Kakao) | Register your own credit card | English, Japanese, Chinese (traditional & simplified); destination search and driver chat translated in 100 languages |
| Taxi | TADA | Sign up with an international mobile number (VisitKorea) | Credit card | Korean, English |
| Taxi | TABA | Sign up with a mobile number, or a Google / Apple ID (VisitKorea) | — | English, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Russian |
| Messaging | KakaoTalk | Sign up with a foreign number (230 country codes): pick your country code, enter the number without it, verify by SMS (Kakao help center) | — | 16 languages incl. English, Japanese, Chinese |
| Food delivery | Baemin (배달의민족) | Order without signing up after SMS verification of an overseas number (reported, Seoul city agreement, Aug 2026) (Newsis report) | Overseas cards, Chinese e-wallets, Apple Pay with a foreign card (reported) | English, Chinese, Japanese |
| Bikes | Ttareungyi (Seoul Bike) | Choose "Foreigner" in the app and buy a pass with a credit card (VisitKorea) | Credit card | Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese |
| Safety | Emergency Ready App (안전디딤돌) | Government disaster alerts and shelters (Seoul city) | Free | 22 languages |
What we left out
Many blogs say other popular apps (the main Kakao T app, map bookings, other delivery apps, train non-member booking, transit-card top-ups) work without a Korean number. We could not confirm those on the companies’ own pages, so they are not in this table.
Get a Korean SIM or eSIM (with a 010 number)
All three carriers sell prepaid SIMs and eSIMs for foreign visitors that come with a Korean 010 number: incoming calls and texts are free after a passport check, outgoing calls need a top-up. None of them work for bank or government identity checks.
| Carrier | What you get | Where to buy | Text-message verification (their words) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SK Telecom skroaming.com |
eSIM or SIM — Data only, or Data + Call + SMS (010 number) | Online, or roaming centers at Incheon, Gimpo, Gimhae, Busan port | "Personal authentication services and text message receipt for payments are unavailable." |
| KT roaming.kt.com/eng |
eSIM or SIM — Data, Data + Voice; all with a 010 number | Data eSIM online or at the airport; the voice eSIM only at KT airport roaming centers | "KT eSIM does not support the personal authentication." |
| LG U+ lguplus.com/korea-sim/eng |
eSIM (Data / Data + Voice), SIM card, Tour Pass (eSIM + unlimited bus/subway) | Online (passport upload), or LG U+ airport centers | "SMS verification for restaurant and taxi reservation apps is available, but Identity Verification for banking or government services is not supported." (not with data-only) |
| Unlimited LTE data | SKT | KT | LG U+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | ₩6,500 (data only) | ₩6,500 | ₩6,500 |
| 3 days | ₩18,000 | ₩18,000 | ₩18,000 |
| 5 days | ₩27,500 | ₩27,500 | ₩27,500 |
| 30 days | ₩71,500 | ₩71,500 | — |
Prices from each carrier’s own page on 2026-10-01 (“—” = not listed on the page we read). Voice packages cost more. SKT adds a free T-money card and a royal palace pass for 3 days or more when bought on skroaming.com.
Setting up an SKT eSIM, step by step
1. Check your phone first
- iPhone: Settings → Cellular — you should see “Add eSIM”.
- Android: Settings → Connections → SIM manager — you should see “Add eSIM”.
- Or dial *#06#: if an EID starting with 89 appears, the phone supports eSIM.
- The phone must be unlocked — a locked phone can scan the code but will not work. Your home carrier or the maker can tell you.
2. Get the QR code
Buy on skroaming.com (or at an airport roaming center). The eSIM QR code comes in the voucher sent by email.
3. Scan it
- iPhone: Settings → Cellular → Add cellular plan → scan the QR code → tap “Add Cellular Plan”.
- Samsung/Android: Settings → Connections → SIM card manager → Add mobile plan → Scan the carrier QR code, then set the line for mobile data to the eSIM.
- Reboot the phone once or twice and check that the carrier shows SKT. If the top of the screen shows 3G, reboot once more to switch to LTE.
When the days start
The plan’s days are counted in 24-hour blocks from the moment you scan the QR code, and the code can be scanned up to 180 days after purchase. After scanning there is no refund — unless your phone turns out to be locked or not eSIM-capable.
4. Verify your passport (for calls and texts)
- Mobile data works straight away; incoming calls and texts start after passport verification.
- Scan the passport-verification QR code in your voucher and confirm your details — 08:00–22:00 only; outside those hours, use an airport roaming center.
- One product per passport, and only once. Outgoing calls and texts need a top-up.
- SKT roaming customer center: +82-2-6343-9000 (works whether or not you have verified).
Bought the SKT eSIM through a reseller? Use the voucher the reseller sends; the phone steps above are the same.
Carrier counters at Incheon Airport
| Where | Counters |
|---|---|
| T1 · 1F arrivals | SKT, KT, LG U+ — 24 h near Arrival Hall F; 06:00–22:00 near Arrival Hall A |
| T2 · 1F arrivals | SKT 24 h near Exit 7 · KT 24 h near Exit 4 · LG U+ 24 h near Exit 4, 06:00–22:00 near Exit 7 |
From Incheon Airport’s official list. LG U+’s own site names Gate 3 (24 h) and Gate 8 (06:00–22:00) in T2. Inside Incheon Airport
Buy an eSIM before you fly
Klook resells SKT eSIMs you can install before departure: SKT unlimited data eSIM with a free T-money card · SKT 5G eSIM. Same carrier rules apply (no payment or identity texts on SKT).
Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Our pages that need no app or account
Route finder — subway vs bus vs taxi · What’s near me · Taxi fares · Free Wi-Fi map · All apps & tips
FAQ
Can I use a taxi app in Korea without a Korean number?
Yes. k.ride (Kakao Mobility’s app for visitors) does not need a KakaoTalk account and takes your own credit card; TADA accepts an international mobile number and a credit card; TABA lets you sign up with a Google or Apple ID.
Can I make a KakaoTalk account with a foreign number?
Yes — KakaoTalk supports 230 country codes. Choose your country code, enter your number without the code, and verify by SMS.
Can I order Baemin delivery as a tourist?
According to an August 2026 report on a Seoul city agreement, visitors can order without signing up after verifying an overseas number by SMS, and pay with an overseas card or Apple Pay. Check the app on your phone — this comes from a news report, not Baemin’s own help page.
Can I get a Korean phone number as a tourist?
Yes. SK Telecom, KT and LG U+ sell prepaid SIMs and eSIMs for foreign visitors with a 010 number — online or at airport counters. Incoming calls and texts are free after a passport check. LG U+ says its voice plans receive the text codes restaurant and taxi apps send; none of the three support bank or government identity checks.
Do I need an app to use a city bike in Seoul?
Yes, the Ttareungyi (Seoul Bike) app — choose "Foreigner" and buy a pass with a credit card.
Sources (checked 2026-10-01): VisitKorea — taxi apps · Kakao — k.ride · Kakao help — sign up with a foreign number · Newsis — Baemin for visitors · VisitKorea — Seoul Bike · Seoul — Emergency Ready App · SK Telecom roaming — tourist eSIM · KT — tourist eSIM · LG U+ — Korea SIM · Incheon Airport — telecom counters. Rules and prices change — the official page wins if it differs. Page rebuilt 2026-10-01.
