Korea eSIM with a phone number: which plans give you a 010 number?

Last checked: October 27, 2026. This guide is based on the providers' official pages, not hands-on testing. It contains no affiliate links.

If you want a Korean phone number on your trip, start by deciding what you actually need the number for. Mobile data, incoming calls, outgoing calls, texts (SMS), and Korean identity verification are separate requirements. A plan can support one without supporting the others.

The short answer

• You only need maps, web, and messaging apps: a data-only eSIM is usually all you need. Airalo's South Korea plans are data-only.
• You need a Korean number for calls and texts: look at a Korean carrier's tourist eSIM, such as KT's. It comes with a 010 number, but incoming calls and texts only work after an identity check at the airport.
• You need to call or text out: KT's voice eSIM can do it, but outgoing use costs extra and the eSIM is sold in person at the airport.
• You need Korean identity verification (apps, banks, some websites): don't assume any tourist eSIM works. KT says its eSIM does not support it.
• You want an Airalo plan with a number: Airalo's Global calls-and-texts plans generally use a US (+1) number, not a Korean one.

Which one fits you?

KT tourist eSIM: the option that gives you a Korean number

KT's tourist eSIMs come with a Korean 010 number. KT sells them as a prepaid product for foreign visitors.

• Receiving: Both the voice eSIM and the data eSIM can receive calls and texts for free, but only after you complete an identity check (the "entry check") at a KT roaming center at the airport.
• Sending: The data eSIM can't make calls or send texts, and KT says data-only products can't be topped up for voice later. For outgoing calls and texts, KT says to buy the voice eSIM in person at the airport roaming center. Outgoing use costs extra. KT's Data & Voice plan lists about 60 minutes of calls.
• Where to buy: The data eSIM can be bought online or on site. The voice eSIM is on-site only, so you can't buy it ahead of time from home. KT lets one person buy 1 voice eSIM and up to 4 data eSIMs.
• Prices (KRW, VAT included): On October 27, 2026, KT's data eSIM listed ₩35,000 for 7 days and ₩71,500 for 30 days. The Data & Voice plan listed ₩40,500 and ₩77,000 for the same lengths. KT also lists a Data & Travel plan with a transportation card, which we don't cover here. Check KT's page for current prices before you buy.
• Identity verification: KT states that its eSIM does not support Korean personal authentication, the phone-based check many Korean apps and websites use.
• Rules to know: KT says purchases can't be canceled or refunded and an eSIM can be installed only once, so don't delete it from your phone. Your purchase details should match your passport, and each passport gets one entry check. Your phone's country lock must be off.
• Install deadline: KT's page gives two different deadlines. The install section says you can install within 90 days of purchase. The caution section says to scan the QR code within 30 days of purchase or the eSIM is automatically terminated with no refund. KT doesn't explain the difference. To be safe, install within 30 days, or ask KT which deadline applies to your order.
• Length of stay: KT says the eSIM can be used for up to 90 days from first activation, extensions included. It works only in Korea.

Plans and prices change, so check KT's page before you buy.

Source: KT tourist eSIM page

Airalo South Korea: good for data, no phone number

When we checked on October 27, 2026, Airalo's South Korea page offered data-only plans, and its unlimited plans ran from $12 for 3 days to $69 for 30 days. The page had no Data / Calls / Texts option.

Airalo's help center says data-only plans do not include calls and texts. You can usually still call over the internet with apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal. So Airalo's South Korea plan is a good fit for mobile data, but it won't give you a Korean phone number.

Source: Airalo South Korea page · Source: Airalo help center, calls and texts · Source: Airalo, eSIMs and phone numbers

Airalo Global: calls and texts, but generally a US (+1) number

Airalo's Global page has separate Data and Data / Calls / Texts options, and the calls-and-texts plans come with a number. But Airalo's help center says the country code of those numbers is generally +1, so don't expect a +82 Korean number. Korean services that require a local number may not accept it.

Airalo also says local packages that include calls and texts are only for communication inside the country they cover. We didn't confirm whether any South Korea plan has that option; the one we saw was data-only.

Source: Airalo Global page · Source: Airalo help center, calls and texts

Keeping your home number is a separate option

Airalo explains how to use its eSIM for data while keeping your US number active for calls and texts. Your home carrier's roaming terms still apply. Before you leave, check the cost and availability of receiving the texts you need, such as bank or login codes. Moving mobile data to a travel eSIM doesn't remove all charges on your other line.

Source: Airalo help center, receiving calls and texts with a data-only eSIM

Questions to ask before you buy

Ask about the exact package, not the brand in general:

• Does this package include a phone number? What is its country code?
• Can it receive calls and texts? Can it make calls and send texts, and at what cost?
• Do I need to show my passport or complete an airport entry check first?
• Will it meet the requirements of the service I want to use? Is that an ordinary text or identity verification?
• Does my phone support it and is it unlocked? What are the install, expiry, and refund terms?

Save the provider's answers and the package terms with your order. If a Korean number is your main requirement, don't buy a data-only plan just because it's cheap or easy to install. If you only need data, don't pay for calling features you won't use.

What we haven't verified

We did not test calls, text delivery, activation, speed, coverage, or any third-party verification flow. We did not confirm whether Airalo's +1 numbers apply to every Global package (Airalo says "generally"). We also did not check Korean carriers other than KT. Prices change often, so check the current price on each provider's page.