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SK Telecom South Korea SIM card: prepaid with a passport, no tourist eSIM found

SKT's English pages describe a prepaid service for foreigners with a passport. We found no short-stay tourist eSIM from SKT itself.

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Is an SK Telecom South Korea SIM card a good choice for a visitor?

Only in limited cases. What we found on its own English pages is a prepaid service for foreigners with a passport and plans for longer-stay residents. We found no dedicated short-stay tourist eSIM. We read SKT's pages on 8 October 2026 through search excerpts, and some pages looked dated.

What does SKT offer foreigners?

SKT's English T world pages describe a prepaid service, PPS, that foreigners can sign up for with an unexpired passport, without an alien registration card. Top-ups can be made with prepaid cards, credit cards or cash through the ARS line, a service centre, an SKT store or online. The pages say top-ups stop when the authorised stay ends, and service can be extended for three months by verifying the passport at an SKT store or service centre. The required-documents page lists an alien registration card or passport for prepaid. Foreign minors need guardian approval.

Other plans are for residents. T Global targets foreigners who have lived in Korea 90 days or longer, and SKT's online shop sells SIMs by mail only to foreign residents with an alien registration card. MIRI is an upfront-payment service for postpaid foreign customers. None of those is a tourist product.

Phone and eSIM

SKT says phones with a country or carrier lock cannot be used on its network. A page about SKT's Korean shop mentions an eSIM download fee of 2,750 won, but that is for ordinary customers, not a visitor plan. We did not find a visitor eSIM on SKT's English pages.

SK Telecom coverage

We found no coverage percentage or 5G claim on the pages we read. Third-party guides give SKT the highest coverage score, which we could not confirm on its site. Use SKT's coverage map for your route.

What visitors usually do instead

Because SKT does not appear to sell a short-stay tourist eSIM, visitors who want a local product look to KT or LG U+, both of which run tourist sites. A travel eSIM bought before you fly is the other route. The South Korea comparison page lines them up. Check SKT's roaming centre at the airport for the latest offering before you rule it out.

For the wider picture see our South Korea SIM and eSIM hub, the South Korea SIM card comparison and our cheapest eSIM page. This page is desk research from the carriers' own public pages, not a test of any plan.

Common questions

Does SK Telecom sell a tourist SIM card in South Korea?

We found no dedicated short-stay tourist product on SKT's English pages. They describe a prepaid service, PPS, that foreigners can join with a passport, and plans for residents. Ask SKT or its airport roaming counter for current visitor options.

Can I use a passport to get an SK Telecom prepaid SIM?

SKT's English pages say foreigners can sign up for prepaid with an unexpired passport instead of an alien registration card. Top-ups stop when the authorised stay ends, and service can be extended for three months by verifying the passport at a store.

Does SK Telecom have a tourist eSIM?

We found none. A page on SKT's Korean shop mentions an eSIM download fee of 2,750 won, but that applies to ordinary customers rather than visitors. Check with SKT before relying on a visitor eSIM.

Can I use a locked phone on SK Telecom?

No. SKT's pages say phones with a country or carrier lock cannot be used on its network. Unlock your phone with your home carrier before you travel, whichever carrier or eSIM you choose.

What are the alternatives to an SK Telecom South Korea SIM card?

KT and LG U+ both run English-language tourist sites selling eSIMs and SIMs, and a data-only travel eSIM can be installed before you fly. See our cheapest eSIM page and the South Korea comparison page for the choices.

Sources and further reading