What is the country code for South Korea?

South Korea's country code is +82. When calling from the US, dial 011-82 from a landline or +82 from a mobile phone, followed by the local number without the leading 0.

How do I call a South Korean mobile number from my US phone?

Dial +82-10 followed by the 8-digit subscriber number. For example, if the Korean mobile number is 010-9876-5432, dial +82-10-9876-5432 from your US mobile. From a US landline, dial 011-82-10-9876-5432.

How do I call a Seoul landline from the US?

Seoul's domestic area code is 02. Drop the leading 0 and dial +82-2 followed by the 7- or 8-digit local number. Example: for 02-1234-5678, dial +82-2-1234-5678.

How much does Sayfone charge to call South Korea?

Sayfone offers calls to South Korea at $0.08/min with transparent per-minute pricing. You can call directly from your browser with no app download required.

What is the time difference between the US and South Korea?

South Korea is on KST (UTC+9) year-round with no daylight saving time. During US Eastern Daylight Time (March–November), South Korea is 13 hours ahead; during Eastern Standard Time (November–March), it is 14 hours ahead. The gap is even wider for US Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones.

Can I call South Korean toll-free numbers from the US?

South Korean toll-free numbers (prefix 080) and some special service numbers (1566, 1577, 1588) may not be reachable from international lines. Check the service provider's website for an alternative international contact number.

Why does my call to South Korea fail even though the number looks correct?

The most common cause is leaving the leading 0 in the number. When dialing internationally with +82, the domestic trunk prefix 0 must be removed (e.g., 010 becomes 10, 02 becomes 2). Also verify you are using the correct US exit code: 011 from a landline, or + from a mobile.

Quick Answer

Call South Korea from the United States

To call South Korea from the US, dial 011 + 82 + local number (drop the leading 0) from a landline, or +82 + local number (without leading 0) from a mobile phone. Sayfone lets you call South Korea for $0.08/min from your browser — no app download needed.

Start calling

Cost tools

🇺🇸From United States

To South Korea🇰🇷

$0.08

Per minute

+82

Country code

Call quality

Landline rate

$0.08/min

Mobile rate

$0.08/min

Same per-minute Sayfone rate for landline and mobile.

Average call quality

This corridor serves a large Korean-American diaspora and active US–South Korea business ties. The dialing steps below work for both mobile and landline numbers across South Korea.

Steps at a glance

Dial 011 (US exit code) from a landline, or use + on a mobile
Dial 82 (South Korea's country code)
Drop the leading 0 from the Korean number and dial the rest
For a Seoul landline 02-1234-5678, dial 011-82-2-1234-5678
For a mobile 010-9876-5432, dial +82-10-9876-5432

Sources

1
Telephone numbers in South Korea — Wikipedia
Country code +82 and trunk-prefix rule
2
8th Army — Cell Phones & Dialing Instructions (U.S. Army)
US-to-Korea dialing examples using 011 exit code

DIALING GUIDE

How to Dial South Korea from the US — Step by Step

South Korea uses country code +82. The key rule: always drop the leading 0 from domestic Korean numbers when dialing internationally. Below are precise steps for both landlines and mobile phones.

1
Start with the US exit code or + sign
From a US landline, dial 011 — this is the US international access code. From a US mobile phone, simply press and hold 0 or type the + symbol, which replaces the exit code.
```
Landline: 011 … | Mobile: + …
```
2
Dial South Korea's country code: 82
After the exit code (or +), enter 82. This routes your call to South Korea's telephone network.
```
011-82 … or +82 …
```
3
Enter the area code or mobile prefix — without the leading 0
Korean domestic numbers start with 0 (e.g., 02 for Seoul, 010 for mobiles). When calling from abroad, drop that leading 0. Seoul's 02 becomes 2; the mobile prefix 010 becomes 10.
```
Seoul landline: 2 | Busan landline: 51 | Mobile: 10
```
4
Dial the subscriber number
Complete the call by entering the remaining 7–8 digit subscriber number exactly as given.
```
Full Seoul landline: 011-82-2-1234-5678 | Full mobile: +82-10-9876-5432
```

Dialing format reference

+82

Use these patterns when entering a full international number to +82.

Mobile

+82 10 XXXX XXXX

Landline

+82 [area code] XXX XXXX or XXXX XXXX

+82-2-1234-5678 (Seoul landline)
+82-51-987-6543 (Busan landline)
+82-10-9876-5432 (mobile)

Major city area codes

Seoul2

Busan51

Incheon32

Daegu53

Daejeon42

Gwangju62

Gyeonggi Province31

Jeju64

Sources

1
Telephone numbers in South Korea — Wikipedia
Number format, area codes, trunk prefix rule
2
8th U.S. Army — Dialing Instructions
US-to-Korea dialing format with 011 exit code

IMPORTANT RULES

Dialing Rules for Calling South Korea

A few Korea-specific rules will save you from failed connections and wasted time. Review these before you dial.

Always drop the leading 0

Korean domestic numbers begin with a trunk prefix 0 (e.g., 02 for Seoul, 010 for mobile). When dialing from the US, remove this 0. Dial +82-2-… for Seoul and +82-10-… for a mobile.

Mobile numbers use prefix 10

Nearly all modern South Korean mobile numbers begin with 010 domestically. Internationally, dial +82-10 followed by 8 digits. Older prefixes like 011, 016, 017, 018, and 019 are rare but still exist.

Seoul's area code is just one digit: 2

Seoul is unique in South Korea — its area code is 02 domestically but becomes simply 2 when you drop the trunk prefix. Other cities use two-digit codes (e.g., Busan 51, Incheon 32, Daegu 53).

Some special service numbers cannot be reached internationally

South Korean toll-free numbers (prefix 080) and special service numbers starting with 1566, 1577, or 1588 may not be reachable from abroad. If you need to contact one of these services, try finding an alternative international-access number on their website.

TIMING & TIPS

When to Call South Korea from the US

South Korea is UTC+9 year-round (no daylight saving time). The US, however, shifts clocks twice a year. During US Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, March–November), South Korea is 13 hours ahead of the US East Coast; during Eastern Standard Time (EST, November–March) it is 14 hours ahead.

🇰🇷

Since South Korea does not observe daylight saving time, the offset from the US changes by one hour when the US springs forward or falls back. Always double-check the current offset before scheduling a call.

Time & windows

South Korea (KST)

UTC+9 — year-round

No daylight saving time observed

US East Coast (ET)

UTC−5 (EST) / UTC−4 (EDT)

13 hours behind KST during EDT; 14 hours during EST

US West Coast (PT)

UTC−8 (PST) / UTC−7 (PDT)

16 hours behind KST during PDT; 17 hours during PST

🇺🇸Korean business hours (9 AM–6 PM KST)

7 PM–4 AM ET (previous day, during EDT) / 7 PM–4 AM ET (during EST, shift by 1 hr)Evening and overnight in the US — plan ahead for morning meetings in Korea

🇺🇸Best overlap for personal calls

7–9 AM ET → 8–10 PM KST (during EDT)Early US morning reaches Korea in the evening — convenient for both sides

🇺🇸Weekend catch-up window

8–11 AM ET Saturday → 9 PM–midnight KST Saturday (during EDT)Saturday morning in the US is Saturday evening in Korea

Calling tips

South Korea stays on UTC+9 all year, so the time gap changes only when the US adjusts for daylight saving time.
For business calls, mornings in Korea are late evening in the US the day before — scheduling apps like world-clock converters help.
If you reach voicemail, leave a message indicating your US time zone so the recipient can return the call at a suitable hour.
Korean mobile coverage is extensive even in rural areas, so connectivity is rarely an issue on the receiving end.

Business etiquette

Business calls in South Korea are generally expected during weekday office hours: 9 AM–6 PM KST, Monday through Friday.
Punctuality is valued — call at the agreed-upon time.
Opening with a brief greeting and identifying yourself and your company is standard.
Avoid calling during major Korean holidays (e.g., Seollal/Lunar New Year, Chuseok) when offices may be closed for several days.

Sources

1
Time in South Korea — Wikipedia
KST = UTC+9, no DST
2
Current local time in Seoul — timeanddate.com
Live time and DST status

TROUBLESHOOTING

Common Issues Calling South Korea from the US

If your call is not connecting, one of these common issues is usually the cause. Most problems come down to formatting the number correctly.

Forgot to drop the leading 0

The most common mistake. Korean domestic numbers start with 0 (e.g., 010 for mobile, 02 for Seoul). When you include the country code +82, that leading 0 must be removed. Dial +82-10-… not +82-010-….

Used the wrong exit code from a US landline

The US international exit code is 011. If you accidentally dial 00 or another sequence on a traditional landline, the call will not connect. From a mobile phone, simply use the + prefix instead.

Trying to reach a toll-free or special service number

South Korean toll-free numbers (080) and special service numbers (1566, 1577, 1588 prefixes) may not be accessible from international lines. Check the organization's website for an international contact number.

Network or temporary connectivity issues

If the number format is correct but the call still fails, try again after a few minutes. Temporary network congestion can occur on either end. Ensure your phone or browser has a stable internet connection if calling via a web-based service.

Sources

1
Telephone numbers in South Korea — Wikipedia
Number format and special-number restrictions

Savings

See what you could save

Adjust the tools below to compare Sayfone with typical retail pricing for calls to South Korea. Start with one call, then layer on monthly volume to see the bigger picture.

How to use these tools

Sayfone uses your live rate for calls to South Korea — the same basis as the rest of this page.
First, estimate savings on a single call length. Then, model a full month of minutes versus typical retail benchmarks.
Retail competitor rows are illustrative — not a quote from any carrier.