Currency: Won (W).
Notes are in denominations of W10,000, 5000 and 1000.
W1000 is called Chon Won in Korean (chon means
'one thousand'). Coins are in denominations of W500,
100, 50 and 10.
Currency exchange:
Foreign banknotes and travellers cheques can be exchanged
at foreign exchange banks and other authorised money
changers. ATMs are available in all major cities, but
all instructions are in Korean.
Credit & debit
cards: Diners Club, Visa, American Express and MasterCard
are widely accepted at major hotels, shops and restaurants
in the larger cities. Check with your credit and debit
card company for details of merchant acceptability and
other services which may be available.
Travellers cheques:
Accepted, but may be difficult to change in smaller towns.
To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers
are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars.
Exchange rate
indicators
The following figures
are included as a guide to the movements of the Won against
Sterling and the US Dollar:
| Date |
May '01 |
Aug '01 |
Nov '01 |
Feb '02 |
| £1.00= |
1841.74 |
1854.28 |
1791.02 |
1890.52 |
| $1.00= |
1297.00 |
1282.00 |
1271.85 |
1321.95 |
Korea Pass Card: A multipurpose bank card
for foreign visitors organised in conjunction with the
Visit Korea Year 2001 committee and the Ministry of Culture
and Tourism. The card can be purchased in denominations
of 100,000, 200,000 or 500,000 Won at Incehon International
Airport. It offers discounts on Seoul and Incheon buses
and subway trains, where it is accepted as a ticket. It
can also be used as a credit card in a number of shops,
hotels and markets. For further information view the website:
(http://www.koreapasscard.com/).
Currency restrictions: The import and
export of local currency is allowed up to W8,000,000. Foreign
currency amounts greater than US$10,000 (including travellers
cheques), must be declared on arrival. Export of foreign
currency is limited to the amount declared on arrival.
Banking hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1630; Sat
0930-1330.