71.8% Interested in Multi-functional Payment! Survey on Payment Methods and Awareness for Travel to Korea

Press Release Information

Minfor Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Gangnam-gu, Seoul, CEO: Takeya Nagata) conducted a survey on payment methods and awareness among 553 Japanese women in their 20s to 60s who have traveled to South Korea within the last 5 years.

### Survey Summary - Primary payments: Credit cards (40.1%), Cash (33.4%). - Transportation: Subways are the most used (32.1%). - Transit payment: Credit cards (30.0%), Cash (27.5%), Transit cards (24.1%). - WOWPASS: ~45% awareness, but usage is only around 30%. - Interest in multi-functional payment services: 71.8%.

### Reality of Payment and Transportation in Korea Credit cards (40.1%) and cash (33.4%) continue to be the mainstays. Newer methods like mobile payments (7.7%) and prepaid cards (4.8%) are emerging but face barriers due to lack of local service understanding or perceived complexity.

### Awareness and Usage of WOWPASS Regarding awareness, 20.3% knew the details, and 25.0% had heard the name, totaling about 45%. However, current users sit at 16.3%, and those who have used it in the past are at 15.0%, totaling 31.3% for usage experience. Psychological hurdles such as 'difficulty of use' or 'anxiety about issuance/setup on-site' seem to prevent wider adoption.

### Interest in Multi-functional Payment A significant 71.8% of respondents expressed interest in services that integrate transportation and general payment functions. This indicates a strong latent need for solutions that simplify the current fragmented payment landscape.

### Conclusion The survey highlights a clear structure: high demand for convenience but low penetration of existing optimal solutions. Bridging this gap through better guidance and visible value is essential for the future travel market in Korea.