Area Code 2 – Seoul

Overview of Seoul's Geographic Area Code +82 2

Area code 2 is the National Destination Code (NDC) for Seoul, the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. Under the ITU-T E.164 international numbering plan, the full country calling code for South Korea is +82, and when dialing a Seoul landline from abroad, you dial +82 2 XXXX YYYY (or +82-2-XXXX-YYYY). Domestically, the trunk prefix 0 is used, so a local call within Korea to a Seoul number is dialed as 02-XXXX-YYYY. This geographic code is assigned exclusively to fixed-line PSTN services within the Seoul metropolitan area, which includes the city proper and its immediate administrative boundaries.

Geographic Coverage and Administrative Jurisdiction

Seoul is a special city (Teukbyeol-si) with a population exceeding 9.7 million, and its metropolitan area (Sudogwon) is one of the most densely populated regions in the world. The area code 2 covers all 25 administrative districts (gu) of Seoul, including central business districts such as Jung-gu, Jongno-gu, and Gangnam-gu, as well as residential and commercial zones like Mapo-gu, Yeongdeungpo-gu, and Songpa-gu. It is important to note that the code does not extend to neighboring cities in Gyeonggi Province or Incheon, which have their own area codes (e.g., 31 for Gyeonggi, 32 for Incheon). This strict geographic allocation ensures that the NDC identifies the physical location of the fixed-line subscriber.

Dialing Formats and Caller Instructions

For local callers within South Korea, dialing a Seoul number requires the trunk prefix 0 followed by the area code: 02-XXXX-YYYY. For example, a local call to a Seoul landline would be 02-1234-5678. When calling from a mobile phone within Korea, the same format applies, but the 0 is still required. For international callers, the process is: international access code (e.g., 011 from the US, 00 from most countries) + 82 + 2 + the 8-digit subscriber number. Thus, a US caller would dial 011-82-2-1234-5678, while a caller from the UK would dial 00-82-2-1234-5678. Note that the trunk prefix 0 is omitted when dialing from abroad.

Numbering Structure and Overlay Considerations

Seoul's subscriber numbers are eight digits long, and the area code 2 is a single-digit NDC. This structure yields a theoretical capacity of 100 million numbers, but in practice, the actual allocation is managed by the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) and the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA). No overlay area code has been introduced for Seoul, meaning that the 2 code remains the sole geographic code for the city. However, number portability is available for fixed-line services, allowing subscribers to retain their numbers when changing providers within the same geographic area. For VoIP services that are geographically tied, the same numbering rules apply, but non-geographic VoIP numbers may use other NDCs.

When dialing Seoul from a foreign country, always ensure you have the correct international exit code. For example, from Japan, dial 010-82-2-XXXX-YYYY. From Australia, dial 0011-82-2-XXXX-YYYY. It is also essential to drop any leading '0' from the area code. If you are unsure, consult your telecom provider for the correct international dialing prefix.