How to sell to customers in South Korea

How people pay online

• Of consumers who used a mobile payment service in the past month, 64.7% used Naver Pay, 49.8% Kakao Pay and 31.1% Toss Pay. 1
• Korean customers usually pay by choosing their card issuer and confirming in the card or bank app, not by typing card details, and local issuers can offer installments on purchases of 50,000 KRW and above. 2

Taking payments from abroad

• Stripe lets businesses without a Korean entity accept Korean local cards, Naver Pay, Kakao Pay, Samsung Pay and PAYCO in KRW, from Stripe accounts in the US, UK, EU countries, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore (Kakao Pay not in Singapore). 2
• Stripe notes Korean customers are generally entitled to a full refund within 7 days of receiving goods unless used or damaged, and subscription price rises need 30 days' notice and consent. 2

Import tax and duty on parcels

• Goods bought from abroad for personal use with an item price of US$150 or less (US$200 or less from the US) are duty-free; above US$150, duty is charged on the full value including freight and insurance. 3
• Korea Customs Service's estimate tool says goods at or under US$150 (US$200 from the US) are cleared by list clearance, and VAT is 10% of the customs value plus duties. 4
• Personal parcels need the buyer's Personal Customs Clearance Code (P plus 12 digits) under Article 254-2 of the Customs Act, and since 1 May 2023 the seller name is mandatory for personal ecommerce imports. 5

Where to reach buyers

• KakaoTalk had 49.1 million monthly active users in South Korea, against 50.6 million internet users in late 2025. 6
• YouTube's ad reach in South Korea was 42.9 million in late 2025. 6
• Instagram's ad reach in South Korea was 25.6 million in late 2025, TikTok's 11.8 million adults and Facebook's 7.05 million. 6

Marketplaces

• Coupang had 24.7 million Product Commerce active customers in Q2 2026, up 3% year over year. 7

Common questions

1. How do people in South Korea pay online?

   Of consumers who used a mobile payment service in the past month, 64.7% used Naver Pay, 49.8% Kakao Pay and 31.1% Toss Pay. More on payments

2. Can a business outside South Korea accept the payment methods people there use?

   Stripe lets businesses without a Korean entity accept Korean local cards, Naver Pay, Kakao Pay, Samsung Pay and PAYCO in KRW, from Stripe accounts in the US, UK, EU countries, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore (Kakao Pay not in Singapore). More on taking payments

3. Do customers in South Korea pay import tax or duty on goods bought from abroad?

   Goods bought from abroad for personal use with an item price of US$150 or less (US$200 or less from the US) are duty-free; above US$150, duty is charged on the full value including freight and insurance. More on import tax

4. Where should a business advertise to reach buyers in South Korea?

   KakaoTalk had 49.1 million monthly active users in South Korea, against 50.6 million internet users in late 2025. More on ads

5. Which online marketplaces are biggest in South Korea?

   Coupang had 24.7 million Product Commerce active customers in Q2 2026, up 3% year over year. More on marketplaces