Can you bring cash to South Korea?

• Cash

  allowed, must be declared

  Declaration to Korea Customs is required when carrying means of payment (cash, checks, etc.), in Korean won or any foreign currency, equal to or exceeding USD 10,000 (or equivalent) into or out of South Korea.

  Below USD 10,000, no declaration or permission is needed on arrival or departure. At or above USD 10,000 on arrival, travelers must mark item 3 on the Traveler Declaration Form, report it to Customs, and obtain a Certificate of Foreign Currency Declaration before passing immigration. On departure, Korean residents carrying USD 10,000+ must report to Customs (some purposes require bank confirmation instead); non-residents departing with more than they declared on arrival need a foreign exchange bank confirmation. Failure to report can carry imprisonment of up to 1 year or a fine of up to KRW 100 million (up to triple the violation amount in some cases).

  Also covers: cash, currency, money, foreign currency declaration

  Checked 2026-09-02 — Source: Korea Customs Service - Declaration of Foreign Currency

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Informational only — not legal advice. Customs rules change; confirm with the official source above before you travel. See update history