Korean law gives you a 7-day window to return almost any online purchase, for any reason at all. Opening the package to check what arrived does not forfeit that right.
The point most shoppers miss: if you return shoes because the size was wrong, you pay both legs of the courier cost. A sizing mismatch you caused is a change-of-mind return, not a seller error. This guide covers the statutory right and its six exceptions, how the major platforms differ for people already living in Korea, and what Korean clothing sizes mean.
Your 7-day withdrawal right (청약철회)
Under Article 17 of the Act on Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce (전자상거래 등에서의 소비자보호에 관한 법률), you can cancel any online purchase within 7 days, for any reason. The law calls this the withdrawal of offer (청약철회). It applies regardless of what the seller's own return policy states.
The 7-day window is a statutory floor. If you and the seller agreed to a longer period, the longer period controls.
When the 7-day clock starts
Three scenarios determine the start date, under Article 17, paragraph 1:
You received the seller's written contract terms first. The 7 days run from the day you received that notice, or from the day the goods arrived if that was later.
The seller's written notice was missing or had an incomplete address. The window runs from the day you learned, or could have learned, the seller's address.
A seller actively blocked your attempt to return. The 7-day window restarts from the day that obstruction ended.
Six exceptions where a seller can refuse your return
Six situations allow a seller to reject a withdrawal against their wishes, under Article 17, paragraph 2. There is an important condition: for exceptions 2 through 5, the seller must have clearly disclosed the restriction on the packaging, on another easily visible place such as the product listing, or via a trial sample, before the sale. Without that disclosure, you can still withdraw even when one of those exceptions would otherwise apply.
The six exceptions:
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You damaged or destroyed the item through your own actions. This exception has a built-in carve-out: unpacking and inspecting the item does not count. The statute says explicitly that damage caused while checking the contents does not forfeit the right. Only actual damage to the item itself does.
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You used or partially consumed the item and its value clearly fell. Trying clothing on is normally fine under the inspection carve-out above. Wearing a garment out, washing it, or otherwise using it is different.
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Enough time passed that the item can no longer be resold. Applies mainly to perishables or time-sensitive goods.
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You opened the packaging of a reproducible item. Covers sealed software, recordings, and similar goods where the content can be copied once the packaging is broken.
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A service or digital content has already started. For divisible content, the portion not yet provided can still be returned.
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The goods are custom-made to your specific order. The Enforcement Decree of the Act (전자상거래 등에서의 소비자보호에 관한 법률 시행령, Article 21) sets three conditions, and all three have to be met together: the goods are produced individually to your order, or are similar goods; allowing the withdrawal would be expected to cause the seller irrecoverable serious harm (회복할 수 없는 중대한 피해); and before the transaction the seller separately notified you of that fact and obtained your written consent, with an electronic document counting as writing. If any one of the three is missing, the exception does not apply.
The most useful point for any first-time Korean online shopper: opening the box and looking at what arrived is inspection. It does not give the seller grounds to refuse a return. The exception only applies if you damage the item, not the packaging.
Who pays return shipping
Change-of-mind returns: you pay
For an ordinary 7-day withdrawal, the buyer pays the cost of returning the goods to the seller. The seller cannot charge a penalty or claim damages on top of that. This is stated in Article 18, paragraph 9 of the Act on Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce.
The government's own consumer guidance applies this rule directly to a shoe-size return. A buyer returns shoes because they do not fit. The guidance confirms the buyer pays round-trip courier costs, because a sizing mismatch the buyer caused is a change-of-mind withdrawal, not a seller error.
Misdescribed goods: the seller pays
A separate right applies when the goods themselves do not match the listing. Under Article 17, paragraph 3, you can withdraw within 3 months of receiving the goods, or within 30 days of discovering the mismatch, whichever comes first. This right applies regardless of the six exceptions above; the statute says so explicitly.
In this case, the seller pays return shipping. Article 18, paragraph 10 places the cost on the seller when the withdrawal rests on Article 17, paragraph 3.
The practical difference: the listing said 250mm shoes, they arrived at 240mm. That is seller error, and the seller pays. The listing said 250mm, they arrived at 250mm, and 250mm does not fit your foot. That is your own change of mind, and you pay.
When a seller's "no returns" notice is unlawful
A seller cannot post a notice shortening your 7-day window, prohibiting returns the law permits, limiting refunds to store credit, or declaring sale items non-returnable. The government's consumer guidance names these as unlawful examples of notices designed to obstruct the withdrawal right. Such a notice does not override the statute and does not bind you as a buyer.
If a seller refuses a valid return while pointing to one of these notices, you have grounds to dispute. The Korea Consumer Agency handles exactly this type of dispute.
Refund timing and delay interest
Once you validly exercise your right, the seller must refund what you paid within 3 business days of the applicable trigger date under Article 18(2) of the Act. For a physical goods return, that trigger is the day the seller receives the goods back. For a service or digital content, it is the day you gave notice of withdrawal.
If the refund arrives late, the seller owes delay interest on the outstanding amount for the late period. The enforcement decree under Article 18 of the Act on Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce sets this rate at 15% per year; the statute itself caps the delegated rate at 40% per year.
If you paid by card, the seller must ask the card company to cancel the charge rather than paying you directly.
Platforms: which ones work for residents
The question that matters most is not which platform has the best prices. It is whether the storefront you are looking at actually delivers to a Korea address. A storefront labelled "Global" does not tell you who it is for. Before you order from one, check on the listing itself whether it will ship to a Korean address.
Naver Smart Store (네이버 스마트스토어)
Read the seller's own return terms on the listing, and remember that no seller policy can cut below the statutory floor set out earlier in this guide.
Gmarket (지마켓) and Gmarket Global
Check the shipping details on the product page before ordering, and confirm your payment method at checkout.
11st (11번가) and worldwide shipping
If you are ordering to an address in Korea, check that you are in the domestic flow rather than the international one before you pay.
Musinsa (무신사) and Musinsa Global
Check which storefront you are on and where it will deliver before you order.
The main consideration is whether a foreign-issued card clears at checkout.
Ably (에이블리)
If a foreign-issued card fails at checkout, look for a virtual bank account (가상계좌) among the payment options.
Coupang (쿠팡)
Coupang is one of Korea's major domestic online marketplaces.
Signing up: identity verification is policy, not law
Many Korean shopping platforms ask you to verify your identity at signup or at certain steps. There is no general internet real-name law behind these checks; they are each platform's own anti-fraud or compliance decisions.
Korea's general internet real-name requirement was ruled unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court in a unanimous 8-0 decision on August 23, 2012. The court found the requirement restricted freedom of expression without sufficient justification.
Separate rules apply to financial transactions. Linking a Korean bank account triggers financial real-name requirements. For a foreign resident, the Alien Registration Card (외국인등록증) satisfies those requirements. A passport is accepted where an ARC has not yet been issued.
In practice: buying with a card on a Korean shopping site does not require identity verification by law. Activating stored-payment features is a different step and may require your ARC.
Paying
A foreign-issued card may be declined at checkout on Korean sites. If that keeps happening, a domestic card is the sturdier option, and that starts with a Korean bank account. The banking in Korea guide covers account types and which banks accept foreign residents.
Korean clothing and shoe sizes
Apparel
Korean adult clothing sizes are governed by two national standards administered by the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (국가기술표준원, KATS):
KS K 0051 covers women's clothing for women aged 18 to 59, excluding foundation garments. First established in 1994, most recently reconfirmed September 17, 2025.
KS K 0050 covers men's clothing for men aged 18 and over, including dress shirts. First established in 1994, most recently reconfirmed September 17, 2025.
What you see on a listing may not follow these standards.
Sizes on Korean listings are labelled in more than one way. What you may see:
KS cm-based labels. The current national standard.
Numeric codes such as 44, 55, 66, 77, and 88. Check these against the garment measurements the seller states.
S/M/L and free size (프리사이즈). Free size labels a one-size-fits-a-range garment. It carries no measurement.
The approach that works: check the actual centimetre measurements listed on each product page. Korean law requires sellers to disclose product specifications, and reputable marketplaces display them. Measure yourself and compare directly to those figures.
If you want to know what a KS label actually encodes, our Korean size finder takes your measurements in centimetres and returns the designation the standard uses for that garment type, with the table number it came from.
Shoes
Korean shoe sizing follows KS M ISO9407, the Mondopoint system, confirmed as identical to the international standard ISO 9407:2019 (reconfirmed December 31, 2024). Under that standard the size number is the foot length in millimetres, so 250 means a 250mm foot.
Measure your foot in millimetres and compare it to the listed size directly, rather than converting from a US or EU size label, since those conversion tables assume a consistent mapping that does not always hold across brands.
If something goes wrong
The Korea Fair Trade Commission (공정거래위원회) operates a consumer consultation line at 1372. The Korea Consumer Agency (한국소비자원, kca.go.kr) handles consumer complaints and mediates disputes. Both can help with issues including return refusals, refund delays, and non-compliant seller policies. The 1372 call is charged to the caller.
For purchases from sellers genuinely based outside Korea, the cross-border portal at crossborder.kca.go.kr has reference materials and dispute guidance. Consultation requests for international transactions now go through 1372, following integration of that service in January 2026.
Korean consumer protection law applies to transactions with Korean-based sellers. Buying through an English-language or "Global" interface does not change which law governs the transaction.
Frequently asked questions
Can I return something I bought online in Korea within 7 days?
Yes. Article 17 of Korea's Act on Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce gives you 7 days from receiving the goods to cancel for any reason. Six exceptions apply, mainly covering goods you have used, damaged beyond inspection, or consumed. Opening the box to check what arrived does not forfeit the right.
Who pays return shipping when I change my mind about a purchase?
You do. For an ordinary 7-day change-of-mind return, the buyer pays return shipping under Article 18 of the Act on Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce. The seller cannot charge a penalty on top of that. If the goods were mis-described or different from the listing, the seller pays instead.
I ordered shoes online and the size does not fit. Do I pay return shipping?
Yes. A sizing mismatch you caused is a change-of-mind withdrawal under the 7-day right, not a seller error. The government's own consumer guidance confirms this: you pay round-trip courier costs. If the listing described the shoes as one size and they arrived in a different size, that is seller error, and the seller pays.
A seller's product page says no returns are possible. Does that override my rights?
No. A seller cannot shorten the 7-day return window or prohibit returns the law permits. The government's consumer guidance explicitly identifies notices like "no returns on sale items" or "refunds only as store credit" as unlawful obstructions of the withdrawal right. The notice does not bind you.
How long does the seller have to refund me after I return something?
3 business days from the applicable trigger date, under Article 18 of the Act on Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce. For a physical goods return, the clock starts when the seller receives the goods back. If the refund is late, the seller owes delay interest under the statute.
What is Gmarket Global and can I use it while living in Korea?
Check the shipping details on the product page before ordering, and confirm your payment method works at checkout.
Can I use Musinsa Global while living in Korea?
Check which storefront you are on and where it will deliver, then confirm your payment method works at checkout.
Why does a Korean shopping site ask me to verify my identity at signup?
Korea's general internet real-name requirement was struck down as unconstitutional in 2012. There is no general internet real-name law behind identity checks at account creation; these are each platform's own anti-fraud or compliance decisions. Financial real-name rules apply when you link a Korean bank account or conduct other regulated financial transactions.
What does Korean shoe sizing mean? What is 250?
Korean shoe sizes follow KS M ISO9407, the Mondopoint system. Under that standard the size number is the foot length in millimetres, so 250 means a 250mm foot. Measure your foot in millimetres and compare against the listing rather than converting from a US or EU size label.
Where do I go if a seller refuses a return I believe I am entitled to?
Call 1372, the Korea Fair Trade Commission (공정거래위원회) consumer consultation line. It handles disputes including return refusals and refund delays. Korean consumer protection law applies to transactions with Korean-based sellers. For purchases from sellers genuinely based outside Korea, the cross-border portal at crossborder.kca.go.kr has reference materials; consultation for international transactions now also goes through 1372 (as of January 2026).