Korea Tax Refund Guide: Instant vs Airport, and the Limits That Split Them

Spend ₩15,000 or more in one transaction and you can get the VAT back. There are two routes — deducted instantly at the register, or claimed at an airport kiosk — and because the instant route is capped, it changes how you plan your shopping. The thresholds in force now took effect on 1 January 2024.

Last checked: 2026-09-22·Desk-researched — not yet verified on site

1. 1Who qualifies

   Foreign visitors who have been in Korea under six months. You need the physical passport — copies and phone photos are refused. Goods must leave the country with you within three months of purchase, so anything consumed or used up in Korea doesn't qualify.

2. 2How much you actually get back

   VAT is 10%, but the refund agency takes a service fee, so what you get back is roughly 4–7% of the purchase price — it varies by agency and by how much you spent, so no single figure holds. On a ₩100,000 item that is about ₩4,000–7,000. The minimum is ₩15,000 per transaction, though some smaller shops still run on older ₩30,000 terminals.

3. 3Instant refund — pay the tax-free price at the register

   Hand over your passport at checkout and you simply pay the tax-free price — nothing to do at the airport. Two caps apply: each Tax Free form must be under ₩1,000,000 — the refund operators word it as "under", so exactly ₩1,000,000 does not qualify — and your instant refunds across the whole stay must total ₩5,000,000 or less. Both were raised on 1 January 2024 from ₩500,000 and ₩2,500,000. English travel sites often paraphrase the first cap as "up to ₩1,000,000", which matters if you are planning a purchase at exactly that figure. Most Myeongdong cosmetics shops and department stores support it.

4. 4Airport refund — over the cap, or the shop didn't do it

   Scan your passport and receipts at a self-service kiosk in the departures area and take the refund in cash or to a card. Budget 30–60 minutes. High-value goods like watches and luxury bags may be inspected by customs, so carry them rather than checking them in. Kiosks are in both Incheon terminals and at Gimpo and Gimhae.