Mastercard has announced that international visitors to South Korea can now use their iPhone or Apple Watch to pay for public transport following the launch of the MobileTmoney transit app on the Apple App Store.
The service enables visitors to top up a MobileTmoney balance directly in Apple Wallet using a Mastercard debit or credit card, and then tap their device at subway gates, buses, and taxis without requiring a physical transit card or cash.
The solution is the result of a collaboration between MobileTmoney, Apple, and Mastercard, combining Mastercard's global payments network with Apple Wallet's existing infrastructure and the MobileTmoney transit system used across South Korea. International visitors download the MobileTmoney app, complete a registration process, add funds using a Mastercard card in Apple Wallet, and can then tap to pay across the transit network immediately.
Android access and broader rollout
International visitors using Android smartphones can access contactless mobile transit payments through the KOREA TOUR CARD app on Google Play, which can similarly be topped up using Mastercard cards. The availability of both iOS and Android options extends contactless transit access to a broader range of international visitors.
Furthermore, the launch is consistent with Mastercard's ongoing strategy in Asia Pacific to embed contactless payment capabilities within existing consumer devices and local transit infrastructure, reducing friction for international travellers who might otherwise rely on cash or locally issued physical cards.
Commenting on the news, Sandeep Malhotra, Executive Vice President of Core Payments for Asia Pacific at Mastercard, said enabling contactless transit payments through devices people already use every day gives travellers more choice and a more confident way to get around. Adding to this, Youngju Kim, Director of the Payment Business Division at Tmoney, noted that the collaboration extends the transit infrastructure to support all users, making public transport an easy option for international visitors.
