South Korea Calling Code: +82

Complete guide to calling South Korea — international dialing code, step-by-step instructions, and FAQ.

How to Call South Korea from Abroad

About South Korea Calling Code

Every country has a unique international dialing prefix; for South Korea it is +82. The ITU assigns these codes under recommendation E.164. Dial +82 after your country's exit code, then the local subscriber number. South Korea is in Asia.

South Korea is known locally as 대한민국 — Seoul is the capital. When saving an international contact, write the number in full international format with +82 so it works from any country.

The ITU-T E.164 recommendation standardizes international numbering, giving every country and territory a distinct prefix. Without the correct prefix, international calls cannot be routed to the right destination.

Where the +82 Calling Code Is Used

The country code +82 is assigned to South Korea, located in Eastern Asia, with the capital Seoul. This code is part of the international telephony numbering plan and is used for all calls made to South Korea from outside the country.

A number displayed as +82 … is in international format: +82 replaces the domestic trunk prefix. From abroad, always drop any leading 0 of the area code and dial +82 + area code + subscriber number.

Calling codes starting with 8 are part of the ITU's regional numbering plan for the area around South Korea, in Eastern Asia. When saving South Korea numbers internationally, write +82 followed by the area code without its leading 0 — this format works from every country.

South Korea Phone Number Formats

Numbers in South Korea use the standard E.164 pattern — +82, then the area code, then the subscriber number. The same layout applies to landlines and mobile phones:

In most countries, domestic numbers start with a trunk prefix (often 0) that must be omitted internationally: dial your exit code, then +82, then the local number as written without its leading zero.

Time Zone in South Korea

South Korea runs on Asia/Seoul, which is UTC+09:00 UTC. Schedule international calls accordingly — a convenient time for you may be very early or very late there.

Use the UTC offset (UTC+09:00) to plan calls to South Korea. For most international callers, the practical rule is: schedule business-hour calls to Seoul during the overlap between your working day and theirs.

Daylight saving time can shift South Korea's clock by one hour in summer. For time-critical calls, confirm the current UTC offset rather than relying on the standard value.

Emergency Numbers in South Korea

If you need urgent help while in South Korea, dial the local emergency numbers below. Note that these numbers are only for use inside South Korea.

Service	Number
Police	112
Fire	119
Ambulance	119

Example: Calling South Korea Numbers in Practice

Here is how a typical call to South Korea works, depending on where you are calling from:

Leading zeros in domestic area codes are not dialed internationally. Write the number as +82 + area code (no leading 0) + subscriber number.

Calling South Korea from Major Countries

International exit codes differ by country. Use this reference when dialing South Korea (+82) from abroad:

Calling From	Exit Code	Full International Dialing
United States	011	011 82 [local number]
United Kingdom	00	00 82 [local number]
Australia	0011	0011 82 [local number]
China	00	00 82 [local number]
Japan	010	010 82 [local number]
India	00	00 82 [local number]
Germany	00	00 82 [local number]
France	00	00 82 [local number]

On mobile phones, the + symbol replaces the exit code entirely — just dial +82 followed by the local number.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the calling code for South Korea?

The international calling code for South Korea is +82.

How do I call South Korea from the United States?

Dial 011 (US exit code), then +82, then the local phone number.

How do I call South Korea from the United Kingdom?

Dial 00 (UK exit code), then +82, then the local phone number.

Can I use the + symbol instead of the exit code?

Yes! On mobile phones you can dial +82 directly followed by the local number. The + symbol automatically replaces your country's exit code.

How do I call within South Korea?

If you're already in South Korea, simply dial the local number directly. You do not need to use the country code +82 for domestic calls.

What is the capital of South Korea?

The capital of South Korea is Seoul. When calling the capital from abroad, dial +82 followed by the local area code (without the leading 0) and the number.

What are the emergency numbers in South Korea?

Police: 112, Fire: 119, Ambulance: 119. These numbers are only valid inside South Korea.

South Korea Mobile Phone Prefixes

Mobile phone numbers in South Korea typically use the following prefixes:

• 010 (virtually all mobile numbers start with 010)

South Korea City / Area Codes

Major cities in South Korea and their local area codes (dial these after the country code +82 when calling from abroad):

City	Area Code(s)
Seoul	02
Busan	051
Incheon	032
Daegu	053
Daejeon	042
Gwangju	062
Ulsan	052
Suwon	031
Jeju	064
Changwon	055

Note: Drop any leading "0" when dialing from abroad. Example: Seoul 02 becomes +82 2 + local number.

Other Countries in Asia

Nearby countries and their calling codes:

Calling South Korea from Kazakhstan or Malaysia works the same way: dial your local exit code first, then +82, then the local number. Within Asia, many callers simply use the + symbol on mobile to avoid exit-code differences.