A Leader in Communications Technology

South Korea has been a leader in mobile phone technology and usage for many years. In addition to calling, email and messaging, smart phone apps in South Korea have more and more integrated features that allow users to connect to others more easily than ever. Because of these features, mobile phones have become an important and integral part of everyday life. Coverage is generally excellent, unless you are heading to some remote mountainous areas.

 

Stay Connected while Abroad

Be sure to communicate with your family soon after you arrive to let them know you are safe and sound! A quick phone call or e-mail can make them feel much better.

While you are abroad it is important to find ways to stay in touch with family and friends. They will all be anxious to hear about your experiences, and you will want to know what is happening at home. Some students have said that it is helpful to set up a communication plan with family and friends so everyone will know when you are available to make a call or receive a call. With time differences, inconsistent internet access, and the many excursions and activities you will be participating in, sometimes it can be difficult for you and your family to connect. Keep in mind that you are only abroad for one term, so you will want to make the most of it and be present for every experience that you have.

One way some students have stayed in touch and shared their experiences with many friends and family is through keeping a blog. This is an excellent way to communicate as it touches many people and can be flexible with time.

Communication Apps

Smart phone apps work very well and allow students to text and call back home with ease. Viber, Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, and Facetime are all recommended. The most common communication tools however, are Line and Kakao Talk.  Line is used very commonly across Asia, and many Korean students will have this app, along with your site director!  It’s a chat and call app with the ability to create shared photo albums.  Kakao Talk is a similar app that many students will also use.

 

How to Make Calls

Within South Korea

Dial the number as it is shown. If you are calling from a landline to another landline in the same area code you may omit the area code when dialing, but it is not necessary.

From South Korea to Abroad

1. Dial the international dialing access code (001).
2. Dial the country code of the country you are calling.
3. If the number starts with a 0, drop the 0 and dial everything else.

For example, to call the US number (123) 456-7890, dial 001+1+123-456-7890. Note that this method will work from any South Korean phone.

From Abroad to South Korea

1. Dial the international dialing access code (typically 00, 011 or 0011)
2. Dial South Korea’s country code (82).
3. If the number starts with a 0, drop the 0 and dial everything else.

For example, to call the South Korean number (012)-345-6789 from the US dial 011+82+12-345-6789. To call the Korean mobile phone number 090-1234-5678 from the United States dial 0011+82+90-1234-5678. Again, direct dialing is the most expensive way to make an international call.