Woori Bank's prepaid card for foreign visitors surpasses 10,000 issuances amid rising inbound tourism

Woori Bank’s NOL World Card for foreign visitors reached 10,000 issuances within three months of launch, the bank said Wednesday. The card was developed with NOL Universe and Kona I to help international travelers pay, reload funds and withdraw cash more easily in Korea. The bank said it is also planning to expand access points, including university campus branches, for short-term foreign residents such as exchange students.

Foreign arrivals reached 10.71 million in the first half of this year, up 23.1 percent from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The NOL World Card can be picked up immediately upon landing at Woori Bank exchange counters at Incheon International Airport.

The card combines currency exchange, balance reloads, ATM withdrawals and merchant payments without requiring a local bank account or standard payment card.

Card transactions have been concentrated in convenience stores, beauty outlets and fashion retailers.

Woori Bank plans to widen the service through its university campus branch network to serve short-term foreign residents, including exchange students.

Published Sep 16, 2026 3:27 pm KST

The NOL World Card developed jointly by Woori Bank, NOL Universe and Kona I / Courtesy of Woori Bank

Woori Bank’s specialized prepaid card for foreign visitors, dubbed the “NOL World Card,” reached the 10,000-issuance mark within just three months of its market debut, the bank said Wednesday.

The card, jointly introduced by the bank, travel platform operator NOL Universe and fintech company Kona I, aims to make local financial transactions and daily shopping more convenient for international travelers amid the surge in inbound tourism and the corresponding need for easy-to-use local payment options.

Data from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism show that foreign arrivals reached 10.71 million in the first half of this year, representing a 23.1 percent year-on-year increase. However, short-term visitors have long struggled with local financial barriers, as opening bank accounts or securing domestic credit and debit cards can be difficult, often leaving them reliant on cash exchanges or international payment methods.

Designed to address these issues, the NOL World Card can be collected immediately upon landing at Woori Bank exchange counters at Incheon International Airport. It combines currency exchange, balance reloads, ATM withdrawals and merchant payments into a single card, all without requiring a local bank account or standard payment card.

The bank said it has sought to make financial transactions more convenient for international visitors by leveraging its widespread financial network, encompassing Incheon airport counters, nationwide branches, ATMs and automated exchange kiosks.

The bank noted that transactions using the card have been primarily concentrated in retail sectors popular with travelers, including convenience stores, beauty outlets and fashion retailers.

Cardholders can enjoy the bank’s preferential foreign exchange rates, along with promotional perks at major partner brands like GS25, Olive Young and Musinsa, enhancing their travel and shopping experiences.

Following the 10,000-card milestone, the lender intends to broaden the availability and access points for the service. In particular, the bank plans to tap into its university campus branch network to extend access to short-term foreign residents, such as exchange students, who frequently encounter difficulties setting up local banking services due to their limited stay.

“We will continuously expand access points and cardholder rewards to ensure an even better financial experience for foreign visitors,” a Woori Bank official said.

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友利银行周三表示，面向外国游客的NOL World卡在推出三个月内发行量已达1万张。该卡由友利银行与NOL Universe和Kona I合作开发，旨在帮助国际游客在韩国更便捷地进行支付、充值和取款。友利银行还表示，计划扩大服务网点，包括大学校园网点，以方便短期在韩外国居民，例如交换生。

据文化、体育和旅游部统计，今年上半年外国游客到访人数达到1071万人次，比上年同期增长23.1%。

抵达仁川国际机场后，即可在友利银行兑换柜台立即领取 NOL 世界卡。

该卡集货币兑换、余额充值、ATM取款和商户支付功能于一体，无需本地银行账户或标准支付卡。

刷卡交易主要集中在便利店、美容店和服装零售店。

友利银行计划通过其大学校园分行网络扩大服务范围，为短期外国居民（包括交换生）提供服务。

发布于2026年9月16日下午3:27（韩国标准时间）

由友利银行、NOL Universe和Kona I联合开发的NOL World Card / 图片由友利银行提供

友利银行周三表示，该行面向外国游客推出的专用预付卡“NOL World Card”在上市仅三个月内发行量就达到了1万张。

该卡由银行、旅游平台运营商 NOL Universe 和金融科技公司 Kona I 联合推出，旨在入境旅​​游激增以及随之而来的对易于使用的本地支付方式的需求，为国际游客提供更便捷的本地金融交易和日常购物体验。

文化、体育和旅游部的数据显示，今年上半年外国游客入境人数达到1071万人次，同比增长23.1%。然而，短期游客长期以来一直面临当地的金融障碍，因为开设银行账户或办理国内信用卡和借记卡可能十分困难，他们往往只能依赖现金兑换或国际支付方式。

为了解决这些问题，NOL World Card 可在仁川国际机场抵达后立即前往友利银行的兑换柜台领取。该卡集货币兑换、余额充值、ATM取款和商户支付于一体，无需本地银行账户或普通支付卡。

该银行表示，它利用其广泛的金融网络（包括仁川机场柜台、全国各地的分支机构、自动取款机和自助兑换亭），力求为国际游客提供更便捷的金融交易服务。

该银行指出，使用该卡的交易主要集中在受旅行者欢迎的零售行业，包括便利店、美容店和时尚零售商。

持卡人可享受银行优惠的外汇汇率，以及 GS25、Olive Young 和 Musinsa 等主要合作伙伴品牌的促销优惠，从而提升他们的旅行和购物体验。

在发行量突破1万张大关后，该银行计划扩大服务范围和接入点。特别是，该银行计划利用其大学校园分支机构网络，为短期外籍居民（例如交换生）提供更多服务。这些外籍居民由于停留时间有限，往往难以办理本地银行业务。

“我们将不断扩大服务网点和持卡人奖励，以确保外国游客获得更好的金融体验，”友利银行一位官员表示。

友利银行凭借不断提升的信用评级和不断增长的外资持股比例，实现了飞跃式发展。

友利金融集团将通过东洋金融与ABL合并推出巨型人寿保险公司。

友利银行搬迁小额信贷银行，以更好地支持小型企业