Woori Bank, Nol Universe, Kona AI to launch on-arrival prepaid card for foreigners
Woori Bank has signed a memorandum of understanding with Nol Universe and Kona AI to offer a prepaid-card based financial service designed for foreign visitors to Korea. The collaboration, announced on the 13th, aims to make payment and banking access easier for international travelers by combining the card with a travel platform ecosystem.
The three parties will roll out a foreigner-targeted prepaid card through two main channels. One is a standalone, general prepaid card product. The other ties the card to packages and event tickets sold on Nol Universe’s travel and experience platform, Nol World, enabling bundled offerings and card purchases.
Kona AI will supply the card’s domestic payment infrastructure, enabling not only shopping at online and offline merchants but also transit card functionality. Foreign tourists will be able to use the card at major merchants that typically see high footfall from international visitors, with special benefits attached at those locations.
Launch planning calls for system integration and infrastructure development with the goal of introducing the service next month. Woori Bank said the project will expand the domestic payment ecosystem for foreigners through collaboration with Nol Universe and Kona AI.
A key feature is on-arrival access: the prepaid card will be issued at Incheon International Airport through currency-exchange booths so visitors can use it immediately upon entry. When used domestically, the card is expected to offer favorable exchange rates. The bank will also provide exchange and top-up support via its unmanned currency-exchange machines and ATMs.
Looking ahead, the three parties plan to add more financial services to strengthen the competitiveness of Korea-focused offerings for foreign travelers.
For U.S. readers, the development signals an ongoing push by Korean banks and fintech firms to simplify cross-border payments for international visitors. The program could affect how US travelers pay when visiting Korea, how currency exchange costs are managed, and how foreign tourists interact with local merchants and travel services. It also reflects broader interest in integrating travel platforms with fintech services to improve how tourists access money, pay for experiences, and manage funds abroad.