Getting Home Internet Installed in Korea: Providers, Documents and What to Check First

The lay of the land

Home broadband in Korea is fast, fibre-based and dominated by three carriers: KT, SK Broadband and LG U+. All three reach the vast majority of urban buildings with fibre to the home, and in most cities you will have at least one provider available at your address — sometimes all three.

Getting a contract is straightforward once you have your documents, but the process surprises newcomers in two ways: the default contract runs for three years, and the carrier may or may not already have fibre running into your specific unit. Both are worth settling before you sign.

What you need to sign up

Carriers require more than a passport for a standard home-internet contract. In practice you need:

• Alien registration card (ARC) — the central document. The address on your ARC should match the installation address; a mismatch can delay or block the application.
• A Korean mobile number — for contact and confirmation messages.
• A Korean bank account for automatic monthly billing (자동이체).
• Often a lease agreement or address proof, especially if your ARC address has not been updated yet.

If you do not have an ARC yet — for example on a short stay — the carriers generally will not open a standard contract in your name. Options in that window are a landlord-held or building-shared connection, a portable Wi-Fi device, or your phone’s mobile hotspot.

Check these before you sign

Three checks prevent most of the friction:

1. Is internet already included in your building? Many apartment complexes — especially newer ones — include a basic line in the monthly management fee (관리비). Ask the landlord or management office first; you may not need a personal contract at all. If a bundled line exists but is slow (often 100 Mbps), signing a separate faster contract may mean paying for both.
2. Which carrier owns the in-building wiring? Some buildings have an exclusive deal with one carrier. Signing with another can give you slower service over a piggyback line. Ask the building manager which carrier the building supports, or check each provider’s address-based coverage tool.
3. Is the previous contract closed? If the previous tenant’s line was never cancelled, activation can stall. Ask the landlord before scheduling.

Contract terms to understand

The standard broadband contract is 36 months. Longer contracts bring lower monthly prices, waived installation fees and better discounts; shorter or no-commitment monthly plans cost more.

Two terms deserve attention before signing:

• Early termination penalties — cancelling before the term ends usually means refunding the promotional discounts you received plus the remaining equipment-lease balance. If you may leave Korea before the term ends, factor this in.
• Renewal — when the term ends, the carrier does not automatically keep your best price. Rates go up at renewal, so it is worth comparing offers before extending.

Bundling internet with mobile or TV usually lowers the monthly cost, so it is worth asking about even if you do not commit to TV.

Installation day

After you sign, the carrier schedules a technician visit — often within a few days. What to expect:

• Someone needs to be home — the technician works inside your unit, not just in the building’s utility closet.
• The visit typically takes 30 to 60 minutes: the technician runs or activates the fibre line, sets up the modem and router, and hands you the Wi-Fi network name and password.
• Run a speed test before they leave. Confirm you are close to the speed you contracted for. If the numbers are far off, have the technician adjust on the spot rather than discovering it weeks later.
• Keep the technician’s visit window in mind for weekends or before public holidays, when slots fill faster.

Note — providers, plans, contract terms, prices and required documents change, and building wiring varies. Confirm current details with the carrier and your building management before signing.