Getting a prepaid SIM card in Korea!

After being here for about 5 days, I finally got my prepaid SIM card in Korea!

Following a guide (http://singaporeaninkorea.blogspot.kr/2011/04/life-in-korea-getting-phone-line.html), I went ahead and got my own number too. However, there were a few tips I'd like to add, so let's go!

Firstly, you cannot get a prepaid SIM card when you've JUST entered Korea. This is because you need to give the goverment/immigrations some time to enter your records into their big system. This 'registration' does not require any effort on your part except to wait for it to be done. It will take about 3 to 5 days. So before that, do not waste your efforts going to either the phone company or the bank to register for anything. It doesn't matter if you have a visa or not.

So I did my waiting and today (my 5th day in Korea), I went to buy my prepaid SIM.

Preparation:
What you need to bring along!
1. Money - The cost of the card is about 5,500 won, and you have to top up a minimum of 10,000 won on the spot. More is welcomed too.
2. Passport!
3. Phone you intend to use the number on, and its IMEI number. If you are iPhone user, the IMEI is already inside the phone information, so no worries there.


ONE: (Destination - Olleh Square)
Take the subway line to Gwanghuamun and follow the exit leading to Korea Telecommunications Building. Once you exit from the subway station, the building on your right is the building you are looking for, and it looks like this:

After you recognize the building, the next thing you should look for is this entrance shown in the picture above. Yes, recognize the rotating doors. Enter.

Note! If you want to take bus to this area, make sure the bus goes to Sejong Center for Performing Arts. Cross the road from there, and you'll see Olleh Square.

TWO: (Getting the SIM)
You should see a cozy cafe-like place inside. Turn right and walk towards the place with counters. There will be service staff there issuing queue numbers, so tell him/her that you want to buy a prepaid SIM card and you'll be given a queue number.

Don't worry because there are English-speaking staff there! And their forms are in English too (:

The staff will explain to you the plans available. For prepaid, there are three different plans: Standard, and two others which names I forget.

The only difference between the three plans is the price per minute of calls. Otherwise, other usages are the same pricing. Apart from standard, they will charge per day. Which means that even though your price per minute for calls is lower than standard pricing, there is a fee deducted everyday even if you don't use the line. So for low usage users like me, Prepaid Standard would suffice.

And nowadays, who doesn't use 3G for on-the-go internet access right?
Good news! With Prepaid SIM you are able to use their 3G network! However, everything comes with a price. For each 0.5KB of 3G usage, 0.28 won (yes you saw it right, there is a decimal point.) will be deducted.

Each prepaid SIM will last 3 months if you top-up 10,000 won on the spot. Topping up more amounts will lengthen its lifespan.

Fill in some forms, sign a few times, and congratulations! You are now the proud owner of a Korean mobile phone number!