Where to Buy a Prepaid Korean SIM Card in Incheon Airport, South Korea

(April 12 to 23, 2017) For phone calls and the internet access in Korea (12 days), I purchased a Korean SIM Card from a small bookstore (Arrival Floor at the Incheon Airport). This store is located at the opposite side of Exit Door #7 (to Outside). The door numbers are sequential. I didn’t see any noticeable sign of selling SIM Cards but in the store, I saw a small sign of selling SIM cards and the description of three plan types.

Prepaid Korean SIM Cards are available for only foreigners (Foreign Passport Holders). You will need (1) Unlocked Smartphone, (2) Passport, and (3) Credit Card or Cash to pay for a SIM Card. I handed all three to a store person. She CINFIDENTLY setup the SIM Card configuration and took a picture of my passport in order to activate the SIM Card. When she gave my phone back along with a brochure, everything was all ready to use.

There were three different plan types at this time. I paid about US$29 (31,000 Korean Won) for ‘Basic A Plan’. The other two plans are: 1GB Combo Plan–about US$32 (35,000 Korean Won) and 2GB Combo Plan–about US$45 (49,000 Korean Won). Based on my previous experiences, it seems the usage is calculated between calls, messages, and data but I didn’t bother to figure it out. It also appeared that the price includes the physical SIM Card because the beginning balance was less than what I actually paid. It says that this prepaid SIM card is valid for 30 days. However, on my prior trip, I was able to extend the duration and recharge more money by calling customer service.