South Korea +82
To call South Korea from abroad, dial your exit code (or +), then 82, then the local number without its leading 0. In full: +82 10-2000-0000.
The country calling code for South Korea is +82. A number starting +82 or 0082 is a call to or from South Korea. From abroad: +82 10-2000-0000.
To call South Korea from abroad, dial your exit code (or +), then 82, then the local number without its leading 0. The +82 code identifies the country; the following digits identify the line (landline or mobile).
How to call South Korea from abroad
011 82 10-2000-000000 82 10-2000-00000011 82 10-2000-0000+82 10-2000-000010-2000-0000 is a real-format South Korea mobile number (example from the ITU-T numbering plan): replace it with the number you were given, without its leading 0.
South Korea area codes
In South Korea, landlines usually include an area code after +82 (without its leading 0). Mobiles have no area code.
Number format
02-212-3456from abroad+82 2-212-3456010-2000-0000from abroad+82 10-2000-0000Landline numbers in South Korea have 5 or 6 or 8 to 10 digits after the country code; mobile numbers have 9 or 10 digits and start with 1. The national prefix 0 is only dialled inside the country — drop it after +82.
Calling abroad from South Korea
To call another country from South Korea, dial the exit code 00 + carrier code (or + on a mobile), then the country code, then the number. From South Korea to the United States, for example: + 1 201 555 0123.
A South Korea number in international format is written +82 …. The + stands for the exit prefix (00 in much of the world, 011 in North America). Switching to international format, drop the leading 0.
Cheapest ways to call South Korea
With internet on both ends, apps like WhatsApp, Signal or FaceTime call South Korea for free. To reach a number without an app, VoIP services are usually cheaper than your operator’s international rate.
Frequently asked questions
What country has the code +82?
South Korea has the country calling code +82.
How do I call South Korea from the United States?
Dial 011, then 82, then the local number without its leading 0 — for example 011 10-2000-0000.
What does +82 mean?
It is the international dialing code for South Korea. The + stands for your exit code (00 in much of the world, 011 in North America).
Is +82 mobile or landline?
The +82 code identifies the country, not the line type; South Korea landlines and mobiles share it.
A country code covers a whole nation; the full number depends on the city and operator.
Mobile networks in South Korea
3 mobile network operators run their own networks in South Korea. The largest is SK Telecom, with about 31.2 million subscribers (Q4 2023). Pick the one with the best coverage where you will spend most of your time.
Owned by SK Group
formerly LG Telecom
Owned by LG Corporation (37%)
formerly olleh, KTF
Owned by KT Corporation
- 3G has been switched off on SK Telecom, LG U+, KT. A phone that only works on 3G will get no data there and may not be able to call: check that yours supports 4G with voice (VoLTE) before you go.
- 2G is gone on SK Telecom, LG U+, KT, which also affects old feature phones and some smartwatches or car trackers.
- 4G/5G frequency bands used in South Korea: 5G 3500, LTE 1800, LTE 2100, LTE 2600, LTE 850. Most recent smartphones cover them; older or regional models may miss some.
- Moving there? Mobile number portability has existed since 2004-07-12.
Also available: virtual operators (MVNOs) that rent capacity on these networks — Tplus.
Operators, subscriber counts, network codes and switch-off dates: Wikipedia (lists of mobile network operators, mobile network codes, 2G/3G phase-out, mobile number portability), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Figures come from each operator or regulator at the date shown.
Getting a SIM card in South Korea
What visitors and new residents need to know before buying a local SIM or eSIM in South Korea, with a source for each point.
Buying a SIM as a visitor
Yes. Visitors buy prepaid SIMs or eSIMs with a passport, and products that include voice need passport verification at the airport counter. From 6 July 2026, anyone opening a new line or porting a number, with carriers and MVNOs through any channel, must verify identity by facial recognition, the government mobile ID or a resident registration certificate issued the same day. Alien registration cards are not yet supported: support is planned for the second half of 2026 and passport-based face checks are expected in 2027. Until then foreigners are limited to one mobile line per person and must justify any extra line. No IMEI registration of foreign phones found.
Source: koreaherald.com · koreatimes.co.kr · lguplus.com
Where to buy it
KT, SK Telecom and LG U+ run roaming centres at Incheon, Gimpo, Gimhae and Jeju airports. Physical USIM cards are also sold at convenience stores (CU, GS25, 7-Eleven, Emart24) and other retailers, and eSIMs are bought online and set up with a QR code.
Source: english.visitkorea.or.kr
Getting a monthly contract as a resident
A postpaid plan with SKT, KT or LG U+ requires an Alien Registration Card, a passport and a Korean bank account or Korean-issued card for autopay. It is not available if 60 days or fewer remain on the legal stay; prepaid needs only a passport. (Expat guide, not an operator page.)
Source: seoulstart.com
Scam calls and texts
Report voice phishing, smishing, fraud and number spoofing to the police on 112 (free, 24/7) or online through the National Police Agency's cybercrime portal ECRM (ecrm.police.go.kr); a visit to a police station is still required after an online report. The 182 line gives counselling. No national do-not-call registry verified.
Source: ecrm.police.go.kr
Emergency numbers
112 police; 119 fire and ambulance; 1330 Korea Tourism Organization travel hotline with interpretation.
Source: gov.uk
WhatsApp and calling apps
None known. Freedom House (Freedom on the Net 2025: Partly Free, 65/100) lists 'social media blocked: No'.
Source: freedomhouse.org
Checked on 28 September 2026 against the sources linked on each card (regulators, government portals and operators first). SIM and ID rules change often: confirm with the operator before you travel.
Staying connected in South Korea
With 173 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, almost everyone in South Korea has a mobile — a WhatsApp, Signal or FaceTime call is usually the easiest way in. Internet use is high (98 %), so app-to-app calls over Wi-Fi are a safe bet.
Source: World Bank / ITU World Telecommunication indicators (IT.CEL.SETS.P2, IT.NET.USER.ZS, IT.MLT.MAIN.P2), latest available year.
Free and premium numbers in South Korea
+82 80-123-4567Free from inside South Korea (numbers starting with 00). From abroad these numbers are often unreachable or charged at the international rate.
+82 60-234-5678Surcharged services — ranges starting with 602–609. Do not call back an unknown missed call from such a range: the cost is far above a normal call.
Number ranges: ITU-T national numbering plan for South Korea via Google libphonenumber.
North Korea +850