Home SWIFT/BIC code South Korea
South Korea SWIFT/BIC code validator
How the SWIFT/BIC code format works
- Format
- 8 or 11-character bank identifier code, country code KR in positions 5-6
- Example
- CZNBKRSE
Things to watch for
- Structure: 4-letter bank code + KR (country) + 2-character location code, plus an optional 3-character branch code
- An 8-character code (or one ending XXX) refers to the bank's head office, almost universally located in Seoul
- No checksum digit — this is a format check only; it confirms positions 5-6 read KR, not that the bank or branch actually exists
^[A-Z]{4}KR[A-Z0-9]{2}([A-Z0-9]{3})?$A South Korean SWIFT/BIC code identifies the bank on an international wire transfer into or out of South Korea. Every Korean BIC has KR fixed at positions 5-6, right after the 4-letter bank code, and virtually every major Korean bank registers its SWIFT head office in Seoul, using the location code SE. Several of the biggest banks still carry SWIFT prefixes tied to a former English name rather than their current brand, a quirk of how bank codes rarely get reissued after a rename or merger.
Major South Korean bank BIC prefixes
| Bank | BIC | Location |
|---|---|---|
| KB Kookmin Bank | CZNBKRSE | Seoul |
| Shinhan Bank | SHBKKRSE | Seoul |
| Woori Bank | HVBKKRSE | Seoul |
| KEB Hana Bank | KOEXKRSE | Seoul |
How this validator works
This tool checks that the code is 8 or 11 characters, the first 4 characters are letters, positions 5-6 read KR, and the location and optional branch segments use only letters and digits — entirely client-side, with nothing sent to a server.
What a pass doesn’t tell you
A pass confirms the code fits the Korean BIC pattern, not that CZNB, SHBK, HVBK, or KOEX still names an operating bank, or that the branch suffix is current. A BIC has no checksum digit, so a fabricated code that matches the shape still passes.
Scope: format validation only. It does not check a Korean bank account’s separate domestic account-number format, which varies by bank and carries no SWIFT-style structure.
SWIFT/BIC code FAQ
What's the SWIFT code format for a South Korean bank?
A South Korean BIC is 8 or 11 characters: a 4-letter bank code, KR fixed at positions 5-6, a 2-character location code, and an optional 3-character branch code — for example CZNBKRSE for Kookmin Bank's Seoul head office.
Why doesn't Kookmin Bank's BIC start with KB?
SWIFT bank codes are historic rather than current brand initials. Kookmin's CZNB prefix comes from its former English name, Citizens National Bank, and KEB Hana Bank's KOEX prefix comes from Korea Exchange Bank, the institution it absorbed in a 2015 merger — both banks kept their legacy SWIFT code after rebranding.
Does an 8-character code work for a South Korean bank?
Yes — the 8-character BIC and its 11-character form ending XXX both identify the same head office and are accepted interchangeably on payment instructions.