Power Bank Carry-On Rules: 2026 Korean Airline Seat Pocket Requirement and Wh Capacity Changes

When flying with a Korean national carrier, you cannot store a power bank in the overhead bin. You must keep it on your person or in the seat pocket in front of you. This rule took effect on March 1, 2025. Between January and February 2026, airlines added bans on in-flight charging and use one after another, and from April 20, 2026, the nationwide figures were unified to a maximum of 2 power banks per person, each with a capacity of 160Wh or less.

Overhead Bin Storage Ban Started March 1, 2025

On January 28, 2025, a fire believed to have been caused by a power bank broke out on the ground aboard Air Busan flight BX391, which was preparing to depart from Gimpo to Hong Kong. On February 13, 2025, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced measures to strengthen in-flight safety management for power banks and e-cigarettes.

• The ministry's standard took effect on March 1, 2025. Passengers must keep power banks on their person or in the seat pocket in front of them, and cannot place them in the overhead bin. They also cannot be checked as baggage. Seoul Shinmun: Ban on Overhead Storage of Power Banks Takes Effect
• Before boarding, passengers must cover the battery terminals with insulating tape or place the battery in a protective pouch or zip bag to prevent contact with metal. From September 1, 2025, a method using temperature sensitive stickers was added in place of plastic bags, along with a supplementary measure requiring national carrier aircraft to carry at least two isolation storage bags. Newsis: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Power Bank Safety Management Measures

January to February 2026: Airline by Airline In-Flight Charging and Use Ban Dates

While each airline's effective date was staggered like this, the number of airlines banning the use of power banks to charge electronic devices in flight kept growing, and by around February 20, 2026, all 11 airlines operating domestic passenger flights had banned in-flight charging and use.

Unified Power Bank Capacity Rules From April 20, 2026

Until then, Korea's power bank capacity rules had two tiers. For units of 100Wh or less, there was no quantity limit under international standards, but domestically the limit was 5 units per person. For units over 100Wh up to 160Wh, up to 2 units per person were allowed, but only with airline approval. Products exceeding 160Wh could not be brought on board at all from the start.

The safety management plan proposed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport received final approval from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council on March 27, 2026, and the ministry announced it on April 8, 2026. From April 20, 2026, the number of power banks allowed per person in Korea was also unified to a maximum of 2, with capacity limited to 160Wh or less, and in-flight charging and use were banned entirely. Kyunghyang Shinmun: Report on the Finalized International Standard for Power Banks

Air Premia's official notice states the same figures. Power banks of 160Wh or less can be brought on board up to 2 per person, and they may only be carried on if short circuit prevention measures are taken, such as covering the terminals with insulating tape or placing each battery separately in its own zip bag. Air Premia Official Notice

Differences That Remain in Airlines' Official Guidance

While the capacity and quantity figures have been unified, exceptions and wording still differ across airlines' official pages.

• Jeju Air allows up to 2 power banks of 160Wh (43,000mAh) or less as carry-on baggage, and bans transport altogether for units exceeding 160Wh. However, the airline states that replacement batteries of 100Wh or less used for medical purposes can exceed the limit of 5 units with airline approval. Jeju Air's Restricted Items Guide
• Power banks are listed by every airline as items that cannot be checked as baggage. If packed in a suitcase and checked, they may be subject to inspection or sent back.
• The ban on overhead bin storage and the requirement to keep power banks in the seat pocket have remained consistent across all airlines since the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport standard took effect on March 1, 2025.

What to Check Before Boarding

1. Check the Wh rating on your power bank. If only mAh is listed, convert it to Wh by multiplying by the voltage (V) and dividing by 1000.
2. Products exceeding 160Wh cannot be brought on board as checked baggage or carry-on, so replace them before your trip.
3. Prevent short circuits by covering the terminals with insulating tape or placing each battery in its own separate zip bag.
4. Once on board, keep the power bank in the seat pocket in front of you or under the seat ahead, not in the overhead bin.
5. Do not use a power bank to charge your phone or tablet in flight. Every domestic airline bans this.

Sources: Seoul Shinmun: Starting Today, Power Banks Cannot Be Stored in Overhead Bins When Flying

Sources: Newsis: Power Banks Cannot Be Stored in Overhead Bins Starting Next Month

Sources: Sidae Ilbo: Jeju Air Announces Ban on Power Bank Use

Sources: Herald Business: Korean Air, Asiana, and Four Other Hanjin Group Airlines Ban In-Flight Power Bank Use Starting the 26th

Sources: Digital Daily: Power Banks Can No Longer Be Used In Flight

Sources: Korea Economic Daily: In-Flight Power Bank Use Now Fully Banned Across All Domestic Airlines

Sources: Kyunghyang Shinmun: Report on the Finalized International Standard for In-Flight Power Banks

Sources: Jeju Air's Official Restricted Items Guide

Sources: Air Premia Official Notice