Foreign tourists in Korea can get a refund on value-added tax (VAT) when they shop at stores with a "Tax Free" sign. For expensive electronics such as smartphones, laptops, and cameras, the amount you get back and when you get it depend on the refund method and the customs steps you follow when you leave. Tax Free is a system that lets foreign tourists claim back the tax on goods they buy during a trip. A Global Tax Free notice posted at a store entrance in Seoul's Myeongdong shopping district. Photo: Tenant News Refunds are about 4–8% of the purchase price The Tax Free refund applies to foreign tourists who spend at least ₩15,000 per receipt. The amount you actually get back is about 4–8% of the purchase price. The taxes refunded are VAT and the individual consumption tax. The VAT included in the price is about 9%, and you receive that amount minus the refund agency's fee. You qualify if you are a non-resident foreigner staying in Korea for less th...
Foreign visitors can get a tax refund at Olive Young in two ways: an immediate refund at the register, where you pay a price with the tax already removed, or a claim for a refund at the airport when you leave Korea. Both require your passport and a single purchase of at least ₩15,000. A tax refund returns the value-added tax (VAT, or 부가세) that you paid on goods bought in Korea.
Immediate refund vs. airport refund
Olive Young tax refunds come in two types, depending on when you get the tax back. With an immediate tax refund, you pay only the price without tax at the time of purchase. With a claim for a refund, you receive a refund voucher when you buy, and you collect the refund at the airport when you leave Korea.
Foreign use of Olive Young is growing fast. Olive Young's sales to foreigners reached ₩1 trillion by the end of August, with 11.01 million transactions. Foreigners account for 33% of in-store sales.
Stays under 6 months, purchases of ₩15,000 or more
Refunds are for foreigners who do not live in Korea and have no income in Korea. This includes foreigners staying less than 6 months, and overseas Koreans who lived abroad for 2 years or more and are staying 3 months or less. People who stay 6 months or longer, diplomats, U.S. military personnel stationed in Korea, and people employed in Korea are not eligible. Purchases made in a company's name and purchases made by a proxy are not refunded either.
There are three purchase conditions:
- Minimum amount: ₩15,000 or more in a single payment
- Export deadline: Take the goods out of Korea within 3 months of the purchase date
- Product condition: New, unopened, and unused
Opened or used products are not eligible. Items that customs cannot verify as taken out of the country, such as prepared food and massage services, are also excluded, as are duty-free goods.
The refundable tax is the VAT included in the price. At a 10% VAT rate, a ₩300,000 purchase includes about ₩27,273 in tax.
Refund stores: Seongsu and Haeundae Jungang
Olive Young stores listed as Tax Refund Shops on VISITKOREA (the official tourism portal of the Korea Tourism Organization) include Seongsu and Haeundae Jungang. Both list their refund method as "Immediate tax refund / Claim for refund," so you can use either type there. The Waegwan, Pohang Chogok, and Sangju Muyang stores are also listed as Tax Refund Shops.
Olive Young runs 151 tourist-focused stores for foreign visitors, with multilingual staff and multilingual signs. Its foreign customers come from 192 countries. The top five are the United States, Singapore, Japan, China, and Thailand.
- Olive Young N Seongsu: 13 Yeonmujang 7-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. Open daily 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Cards accepted.
- Olive Young Haeundae Jungang: Gunam Building, 1st floor, 27 Gunam-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan. Open daily 10 a.m.–11 p.m. No parking.
Immediate refund: show your passport and pay
With an immediate refund, you show your passport at the register and pay the price without tax. It can be used for a single payment under ₩1 million and up to ₩5 million in total purchases during your trip. The steps are simple:
1. At checkout, ask the staff for a "tax refund" and show your passport.
2. The staff checks your passport to confirm you are eligible, then charges the price without tax.
3. Take the unopened products out of Korea within 3 months.
Airport refund: take your voucher to customs
The airport refund has no cap on the purchase amount, and the refund arrives 1 to 2 months after you leave. Unlike the immediate refund, you pay the full price including tax at checkout and get the tax back when you leave Korea.
1. Get a refund voucher when you buy.
2. Get customs confirmation when you leave Korea.
3. Claim your refund at the airport refund counter or a self-service kiosk. If there is no counter, put the voucher in the mailbox and write your refund method on it.
The refund is deposited automatically to an international credit card, Alipay, or WeChat Pay. The refund amount and timing may vary by card. For questions about refunds, call the 1330 Korea Travel Helpline.
You can also use a downtown refund booth. The minimum is also ₩15,000, and you can claim up to ₩6 million per transaction. Bring your passport, your refund voucher, and a credit card. A downtown booth processes only its own company's vouchers, while airport and port booths accept vouchers from all companies.
Olive Young Sale: March, June, September, December, and the limits
The Olive Young Sale is held four times a year, in March, June, September, and December, with more than 1,500 beauty brands taking part. Foreign shoppers also increase sharply during the sales. The number of foreigners who shopped in the March and June sales was 11 times the number three years earlier.
Because people buy more during sales, it helps to check the limits first. A single purchase over ₩1 million exceeds the immediate refund limit, while the airport refund has no cap on the purchase amount. Keep your passport and refund voucher safe until you leave Korea.
You can get an Olive Young tax refund in two ways: an immediate refund, where you show your passport at the register, or a claim at the airport using your voucher. In both cases, the basic condition is a new product bought in a single payment of ₩15,000 or more. With your passport and refund voucher, you can get the tax back on sale purchases too.