How to Get a Tax Refund in Korea: A Guide for Foreign Shoppers

Airport duty-free and downtown tax refund are not the same thing.

Takeaway first: at regular shops you pay the tax-included price, then — if you qualify — you get the tax back. Duty-free prices already exclude tax, so those purchases are generally not refundable again.

Adbar / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

At a Glance

• Tax refund ≠ duty-free. Duty-free is already tax-exempt; duty-free goods are generally not also tax-refundable.
• Minimum: usually ₩15,000 or more per receipt/transaction (VisitKorea).
• Who: foreigners staying in Korea up to 6 months (plus separate overseas-Korean rules).
• Easiest path: show your passport at the store for an immediate tax refund (limits apply).
• At departure: get customs export confirmation, then use an airport kiosk/counter (or mailbox at some ports).

1. Tax refund vs duty-free (one clear comparison)

	Duty Free	Tax Refund
Where	Airport and downtown duty-free stores	Regular shops with Tax Refund / Tax Free signage
Price	Tax already removed from the tag	You pay tax-included, then reclaim tax
Limit example	VisitKorea often cites a duty-free allowance of USD 800	Limits depend on refund method (below)
Double claim?	—	Duty-free items are not eligible for tax refund

Quick terms: VAT = value-added tax. ICT = individual consumption tax. A tax refund returns those taxes when the rules are met.

2. Who qualifies

From VisitKorea (simple bullets):

• Foreigners staying in Korea for up to 6 months
• Overseas Koreans who have lived abroad for 2 years or more and stayed in Korea for 3 months or less (check permanent-residency wording on the official page)
• Usually not eligible: stays of 6 months or more; diplomats in Korea; U.S. military personnel in Korea; people employed/earning income in Korea; corporate or agent purchases

Purchase rules:

• Goods worth ₩15,000 or more (per qualifying purchase/receipt)
• Goods must be new, unopened, unused
• Take the goods out of Korea within about 3 months of purchase

Kalungi Nathan / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

3. Minimum amount & what you can claim

• Floor: ₩15,000+ per qualifying receipt/transaction
• Often eligible goods: clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, cosmetics, perfume, home appliances, ginseng/red ginseng, and other taxable goods (VisitKorea)
• Usually not eligible: legally prohibited items; services hard for customs to verify (e.g. cooked food, massage); opened or used items; duty-free purchases
• Accommodation: VisitKorea describes a separate special provision for certain FIT stays (e.g. up to 30 nights). This guide focuses on shopping goods — confirm hotel rules with the property and VisitKorea.
• Do not assume restaurant meals or ordinary hotel bills refund like cosmetics.

4. Three ways to get money back

A) Immediate in-store refund

• Staff check your passport and you pay the tax-deducted price
• Limits (VisitKorea): single transaction ₩15,000 or more and under ₩1,000,000; total immediate-refund purchases on the trip ₩5,000,000 or less
• Bring your physical passport

B) Downtown refund booth / kiosk

• Buy at the tax-included price and keep the refund voucher
• Claim at a staffed downtown counter or unmanned kiosk (passport, voucher, card as required)
• Limit (VisitKorea): often eligible when a single transaction is ₩6,000,000 or less
• You still need customs export confirmation when you leave Korea

C) Airport (or port) after customs

• At departure, show goods + vouchers + passport for export confirmation
• Then claim at a refund counter or self-service kiosk
• If there is no counter (or it is closed), use the mailbox / mobile instructions on the voucher
• Airport general refund: VisitKorea says purchases of ₩15,000 or more can qualify (it does not phrase the same trip-total cap used for immediate refunds)

Dquai / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

5. First-timer step-by-step

1. Look for Tax Refund / Tax Free signs plus logos such as Global Blue, Global Tax Free, or Easy Tax Refund.
2. Carry your passport (required for immediate refund).
3. At checkout say: “Tax refund, please.”
4. Keep every receipt and refund voucher.
5. Leave cosmetics and gadgets unopened until you clear customs rules.
6. On departure day, check the airport map for customs export confirmation before checking big bags (layouts differ by terminal).
7. Get customs approval → go to the kiosk or counter.
8. Build in extra airport time — lines happen.

6. Seoul tips (Myeongdong, department stores, Olive Young)

Myeongdong (명동), major department stores, and Olive Young (올리브영) often show tax-refund stickers for foreign shoppers.

Do not assume every branch always qualifies. Before you pay, look for Tax Refund / Global Tax Free / Global Blue / Easy Tax Free signage.

For a K-beauty starter basket, read alongside the KIN Olive Young for Foreigners guide.

thelearnr / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

7. Common mistakes FAQ

Q. Can I tax-refund duty-free purchases too?

A. No. VisitKorea: duty-free items are not eligible for a tax refund.

Q. Can I open cosmetics before leaving?

A. Keep them new and unused if you want the refund. Opened/used items are not eligible.

Q. Is a passport photo enough for immediate refund?

A. Immediate refund usually needs your original passport at the store.

Q. What if I’m rushing at the airport?

A. Customs comes before (or around) the refund step, and lines can be long. Prefer immediate refund downtown when you can, and arrive early. If the counter is closed, follow mailbox / mobile instructions.

Q. Do meals and hotels count?

A. Cooked food and hard-to-verify services usually do not. Some accommodation may fall under a special VisitKorea provision — confirm separately; this guide is about goods.

Sources

• VisitKorea Comprehensive Tax Refund Guide (page dated 10/20/2025)
• VisitKorea Duty Free & Tax Refunds (page notes update around 10/21/2025)
• VisitSeoul Tax Refund (body verified via curl; WebFetch blocked by WAF)
• Photos: attribution mapping