Shop anywhere abroad and you’ll see “Tax Free” or “Tax Refund” signs. Korea works the same way: the price of most goods includes 10% VAT, and visitors can get part of it back on qualifying purchases they take home.
Short answer: if you’re visiting Korea for less than six months, spend at least ₩15,000 in one purchase at a participating store and take the goods abroad within three months, you can reclaim part of the tax — often right at checkout, otherwise before you fly out.
Who qualifies for a tax refund?
For ordinary goods, the basic conditions are:
- Foreign visitors staying in Korea for less than six months. Long-term residents on work or study visas generally don’t qualify.
- At least ₩15,000 in a single purchase at a participating tax-refund store.
- Goods leave Korea within three months of the purchase date.
- Unopened, unused goods. Items you’ve opened or used in Korea are generally not eligible.
Not every shop takes part. Look for a “Tax Free” or “Tax Refund” sign at the entrance or register — or just ask, “Is tax refund available?” Big chains such as Olive Young, department stores and many fashion shops usually participate.
Can I get the tax back right at checkout?
Yes, at many participating stores. Show your physical passport, and the refundable amount is taken off the price as you pay — this is the “immediate tax refund.” As of 2026 it applies when a single purchase is at least ₩15,000 but under ₩1,000,000, and your immediate-refund purchases during the trip total no more than ₩5,000,000.
If the tax was already deducted at checkout, there’s nothing more to claim for that purchase at the airport. Our Olive Young guide shows how this works at one of the stores tourists visit most.
What if the tax wasn’t deducted in the store?
Keep the refund receipt (the tax-free form the store gives you). Depending on the refund operator named on it, you can finish the claim at a downtown refund point or at the airport before departure — usually at a self-service kiosk or a refund counter.
Customs may ask to see the goods, so don’t bury them at the bottom of your suitcase. If an eligible item is going in your checked baggage, get any required customs confirmation before you check the bag in.
How much money do you actually get back?
Less than the full 10%. Refund operators charge a fee, so the amount you receive is usually a few percent of the price, and it rises a little on bigger purchases. The exact figure is printed on your receipt or shown at the kiosk. Airport refunds are commonly paid in cash or to a card, depending on the counter.
Duty Free vs Tax Refund: what’s the difference?
| Duty Free | Tax Refund | |
|---|---|---|
| At checkout | Tax is already removed | Normal price, tax included |
| Where | Airport and downtown duty-free shops | Participating regular stores |
| Getting money back | Nothing to claim | At checkout, or later before departure |
| Can you combine them? | No — duty-free goods can’t be refunded again | — |
In one line: Duty Free takes the tax off before you pay; a tax refund gives eligible tax back on a normal purchase.
Quick questions
Do I need my physical passport? Yes. Stores and kiosks verify the passport itself, so keep it with you when you shop — a photo usually won’t do.
Can I get a tax refund on food or a café bill? Generally no. The refund is for goods you take out of Korea, not for meals, drinks or services used here.
Can I add several receipts together to reach ₩15,000? The minimum applies to a single purchase, so check each receipt on its own.
Does it work in Busan or Jeju, not only Seoul? Yes. Participating stores are nationwide, and major airports have refund kiosks or counters.
Before you go shopping
- Carry your physical passport.
- Ask whether the store can do an immediate refund.
- Keep every refund receipt until you leave Korea.
- Cards work almost everywhere — see our guide to paying in Korea.
Rules, limits and procedures can change. Check the latest details with VISITKOREA or the refund operator named on your receipt before you travel.