Money & Payments in Yongpyong (2026)

Many banks flag foreign transactions as suspicious and freeze your card—call your bank or use their app to set a travel notice for South Korea before you fly.
Bank ATMs go offline for maintenance around midnight; convenience store ATMs run 24 hours but fees can be slightly higher—withdraw enough at once to avoid stacking fees, as multiple small withdrawals add up fast.
Cashless payments have become the norm in South Korea, with cards like Visa and Mastercard widely accepted—while it's a good idea to keep a small amount of cash on hand for certain situations, cards are generally the better primary payment method and you won't have to worry about being left with leftover foreign currency.
For taxi drivers, tipping is not expected but rounding up the fare is common when paying in cash—typically round up a small amount to the nearest paper denomination (if your fare costs 8,250 Won, round up to 9,000 Won or give a 10,000 Won bill).
Under Korean law, tipping isn't just uncommon — it's heavily regulated; a 2013 revision to the Food Sanitation Act introduced a 'final price display' system mandating that all restaurant menu prices include taxes and service charges to eliminate hidden fees and prevent tipping from becoming an expected norm.

How To Tip: If you do decide to leave a tip, it's best to do so discreetly as South Korean culture values subtlety—place the tip in an envelope and leave it for the recipient to discover or hand it over in a low-key manner, using both hands. Cash is the preferred method for tipping.
General Norm: Tipping in South Korea is neither expected nor customary, and this is rooted in the country's culture and history, where providing good service is considered a basic standard rather than an extra that warrants additional payment.
What To Avoid: Tipping is not customary—if you insist on leaving a tip this may be seen as rude and can cause acute embarrassment even if you think someone should be rewarded extra for their work.

Tour guides
Amount
₩10,000
Guidance
A tip of around ₩10,000 KRW ($11 AUD) for a full-day tour is reasonable, but in line with South Korean culture, while tour guides might appreciate a tip, they will not expect it.
High-end restaurants (exceptional service)
Guidance
In most restaurants, tipping is not expected as a service charge is usually included in the bill; however, in high-end restaurants with a strong international clientele, it would be appropriate to leave a tip if you feel the service was exceptional—5%-10% of the bill would be appropriate.

Availability: ATMs are multifunctional, allowing people with local bank accounts to withdraw cash, pay bills, and deposit money, as well as machines which are for dispensing cash only. Not all ATMs operate 24 hours a day — some are inside bank branches and therefore only accessible during office hours.
Withdrawal Limits: Bank ATMs set transaction limits of KRW1,000,000 and a daily limit of KRW6,000,000 is common.
Finding ATMs For Foreigners: Not every Korean ATM accepts foreign cards—look for 'Global ATM' or 'International Cards' signs. GS25 or CU convenience stores most have Global ATMs inside, and blue 365 ATMs are available in most major stations.

Currency Local: KRW
Fee Amount USD: 2.38
Fee Amount Local: 3600
Description: ATM fees are charged by the bank and ATM operator—the fee was ₩3,600 (about $3) on a recent withdrawal using a foreign card. Some banks charge a 2.43-2.68% ATM withdrawal fee depending on the card and ATM.

Minimum To Carry: Minimum recommended is ₩50,000 ready for transit card top-up, with ₩10,000 and ₩5,000 bills preferred—don't carry too much at once (keep about ₩100,000 in your wallet).
Where Cash Required: Street food, small restaurants and some public transport only accept cash — some merchants also won't take cards for purchases under 10,000 won. Yongpyong is a self-contained resort where all life and activity exists within resort grounds with numerous restaurants and cafes, suggesting most resort facilities accept cards.

Code: KRW
Name: South Korean Won
Denominations: ₩1,000, ₩5,000 ₩10,000 and ₩50,000 notes as well as coins in ₩1, ₩5, ₩10, ₩50, ₩100, and ₩500 denominations.

Overview: Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, along with several popular digital wallets and contactless payment methods. Yongpyong is a self-contained resort where all life and activity exists within resort grounds with numerous restaurants and cafes, though the resort lacks the atmosphere of a true ski town.
Foreign Cards: Using a foreign debit or credit card in South Korea is easy enough if you want to make direct payments in a store or restaurant. Best cards to bring are Visa or Mastercard (Amex has limited acceptance).
Where Needed Most: Small restaurants and some public transport may only accept cash — some merchants also won't take cards for purchases under 10,000 won.

Setup Difficulty: Difficult in Yongpyong proper. Foreigners can open accounts in local banks with a residence card. Nearest banking services likely in Pyeongchang town or Gangneung.
National Structure: South Korea has major commercial banks and specialized banks. Account opening for foreigners typically requires residence registration and valid identification.

AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026

These are the sources cited in this money & payments research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.

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Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.