Unmanned Stores in South Korea

In the world today, many people find it hard to trust each other, but South Korea is different because they have less of this problem. They've made special stores without workers, and the reason is that not many people in Korea steal things – they're pretty honest.

South Korea is famous globally for being good with technology, using cashless payments, having well-built cities, and not having a lot of crime. Now, they're making these cool stores that don't need people, and it's perfect for how people live today.

© Korea Joongang Daily

The reason why stealing is low in Korea isn't just because of how people are; it's also because the government did something smart in the 1990s. They put up special CCTVs everywhere to catch anyone trying to take things they shouldn't.

Unmanned stores in Korea have evolved beyond traditional convenience stores; now, you can find them in various forms, such as ramen shops, coffee shops, and more.

© Visit Seoul 

There's a lot of unmanned stores in South Korea, and we've compiled a list of recommendations for you to explore:

24/7 Ramen Store 

You can cook your choice of ramen (they have different kinds of ramen to choose from), add toppings (cheese, egg, fishcake, and more), and pay through a machine. 

Ramen Convenience Store (라면편의점)

Address: 

11, Donhwamun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Coffee Shop

All the coffee and the design touches of their desserts are made by robots. 

Cafe BotBotBot

Address: 

04797 8, Achasan-ro 9-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul  

Ice Cream Shop

This ice cream store is self-service. All the Korean and foreign ice creams are in the freezers and you just have to scan the code of the ice cream and pay in the cash register kiosk.

Dalsi 

Address: 

19 Daehak-ro 159beon-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon

Convenience Store

Unlike regular convenience stores where you pick up items and go to the cashier, the unmanned Emart 24 is unique. To enter, customers use their cellphone number and a credit or debit card to get a QR code, scanned at the entrance. The store tracks customers with six precise LiDAR cameras that don't identify people. Weight sensors on display stands to monitor how many products customers take.

Emart 24

Address:

513 Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Will this kind of service work in your country or even in your area?