Frequently Asked Questions

SureM is a business messaging company founded in 2000. Our name stands for "Sure Message," reflecting our commitment to reliable message delivery. With 25+ years of operating experience, we provide SMS, KakaoTalk, RCS, and global messaging services to enterprise customers in Korea and worldwide.

We support a range of channels from a single platform, so you can match each message to its purpose:

• Domestic text — SMS (short), LMS (long), MMS (picture)
• KakaoTalk Biz Messages — AlimTalk (notification), FriendTalk (promotional), Brand Message
• Next-generation format — RCS business messaging
• Global messaging — International SMS to 200+ countries
• Voice & value-added — Voice messaging (TTS) and more

SureBIZ is our messaging platform built for enterprise customers. You can send directly from a web console, run bulk sends via Excel upload, or automate delivery through API integration — whichever fits your environment best.

The personal service focuses on small-volume sending and ease of use, while the enterprise SureBIZ platform adds bulk sending, API automation, delivery reports, and system integration with the stability businesses need. If you send at high volume or need to integrate with your systems, we recommend the enterprise service.

Companies across finance, commerce, public sector, logistics, and education use SureM wherever customer communication matters. Common use cases include identity verification (OTP), order and delivery alerts, reservation reminders, and marketing campaigns.

SureM stands out among Korean SMS providers through several distinct strengths:

• 26 years of operating experience — founded in 2000, one of Korea's longest-established A2P messaging providers
• Direct Tier-1 carrier integration — connected directly to SKT, KT, and LG U+ with no intermediary routing
• Cleanest spam reputation — among the lowest spam rates in the Korean A2P market
• Industry recognition — 2025 Korea Messaging Service Award winner, Kakao Top Partner, and ISO 27001 recertified
• Unified multi-channel delivery — SMS, LMS, MMS, RCS, KakaoTalk Alimtalk/Friendtalk, Voice OTP, SMPP, and WhatsApp Business from one platform
• Global reach — 200+ countries and 800+ carriers, 97%+ delivery success
• Trusted by 1,800+ enterprises — including major financial, retail, luxury, and platform brands

SureM holds direct, Tier-1 connections to all three Korean mobile network operators: SKT (SK Telecom), KT, and LG U+. These are A-grade interconnections — meaning messages travel directly from SureM to the destination carrier without intermediate aggregator hops.

The result is faster delivery (typically under 3 seconds for OTP), better DLR accuracy, lower retry rates, and the cleanest spam reputation in the Korean A2P market. Direct three-carrier integration also covers RCS Business Messaging on all three networks, including iOS RCS support that launched in September 2024.

• SMS — Short text message, up to ~90 bytes (around 45 Korean / 90 English characters)
• LMS — Long text message, up to ~2,000 bytes (around 1,000 Korean characters)
• MMS — Picture message combining images with text

All channels are received on any handset regardless of model. Choose based on the length of your content and whether you need to include images.

AlimTalk is an informational business message delivered through KakaoTalk. It's used for transactional and informational content the customer has opted into — order confirmations, reservation notices, delivery updates — and is sent using pre-approved templates.

• AlimTalk — Informational messages. Can be received even by non-followers, but requires an approved template.
• FriendTalk — Promotional/marketing messages sent to users who have added your channel as a friend; supports flexible layouts with images and buttons.

As a rule of thumb, use AlimTalk for transactional notices and FriendTalk for promotions.

SMS is received on every mobile phone, while AlimTalk is delivered through the KakaoTalk app. SureM supports fallback — if an AlimTalk message fails, it can automatically be re-sent as SMS/LMS to maximize delivery.

Yes. SureM is a Kakao Top Partner — Kakao's highest-tier partnership designation for Business Message providers — for delivery of AlimTalk (transactional notifications), FriendTalk (promotional messages), and Brand Message.

Top Partner status reflects sustained sending volume, message-quality compliance, and operational stability over time. As an authorized partner, SureM:

• Registers your business channel with Kakao
• Submits and manages template approvals
• Routes Kakao messages with automatic SMS fallback when a recipient cannot receive them on KakaoTalk

RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the next-generation messaging standard that replaces traditional SMS. It supports rich formats — images, video, buttons, carousels — and can display verified sender brand information to build trust.

The right channel depends on your purpose (transactional vs. promotional), message length, whether you need images, and your budget. SureM can review your use case and recommend the channel mix and a cost-effective sending strategy.

Yes. SureM provides global messaging that reaches recipients worldwide, not just within Korea. You can send messages to overseas customers in their local language, making it a good fit for businesses operating internationally.

We are connected to 200+ countries and 800+ carriers. By operating multiple routes, we deliver each message via the optimal path for its destination country and carrier.

We run multiple routes per country and carrier and optimize routing so messages still get through if one path has an issue. Note that local telecom policies and regulations may place some restrictions on formatting or sender display in certain countries — we'll advise you on these in advance.

Yes. We also support inbound messaging from overseas into Korea. If you need identity verification or reply handling for a global user base, we can help you set this up through a consultation.

After registering as a business customer and completing sender-number pre-registration, you're ready to send. If you expect high volumes or need API integration, we recommend a setup consultation to tailor the configuration to your environment.

Sender-number pre-registration is the process of registering and verifying the number you'll send from in advance. It's mandated under Korea's Telecommunications Business Act to prevent sender-number spoofing (spam and phishing). Messages cannot be sent from unregistered numbers.

You can send once sender-number registration and identity/business verification are complete. Channels that require separate template approval — such as KakaoTalk AlimTalk — can be used after the approval process is finished.

No. You can send from the web-based SureBIZ console with no installation. If you want to send automatically from your own system, choose API integration; we also offer a client-based sending option that works even in environments without a database.

SureM provides an HTTP-based sending API so you can send messages directly from your web app, mobile app, or server. You submit send requests using your issued credentials and confirm results via callback (webhook) or a lookup API.

Yes. Through API integration you can connect with ERP, CRM, e-commerce, reservation systems, and more. You can configure messages to be sent automatically when a specific event occurs — an order, sign-up, or booking, for example.

Yes. You can implement OTP verification that sends a one-time code at sign-up or login via the API. It's widely used for verification, alerts, and automated transactional messages where reliability matters most.

We provide an API integration guide along with examples for major programming languages. If you run into questions during integration, our technical support team is available to help.

Yes. SureM is built to process large message volumes reliably, so campaign-scale bulk sends can be handled via API. Throughput and sending speed can be arranged to match your environment.

Pricing depends on the message type (SMS, LMS, MMS, AlimTalk, RCS, international, etc.), sending volume, and contract terms. For an accurate quote tailored to your usage pattern, our sales team is happy to help.

Billing depends on the channel:

• SMS / LMS / MMS — Both successful and failed sends are charged.
• KakaoTalk (AlimTalk, FriendTalk) — Only successfully delivered messages are charged.

Delivery reports let you transparently review successful and failed sends, and the exact billing basis is confirmed at contract time.

Unit rates can be negotiated based on sending volume. The higher your monthly volume, the more favorable the terms — share your estimated volume and we'll prepare a tailored quote.

We offer both prepaid (top-up) and postpaid settlement through a business contract. Enterprise customers can arrange usage-based monthly billing; detailed payment terms are provided at contract time.

SureM maintains high delivery rates through multi-route operation and path optimization. Features such as automatic fallback from AlimTalk to SMS further improve the chances your message reaches the recipient.

We monitor service health around the clock and have an operations process to respond quickly when anomalies arise. Customers are notified in the event of significant incidents.

Yes. You can review per-message success and failure results through reports and a lookup API. Send logs and record-keeping let you analyze campaign performance and trace any issues.

SureM operates its security framework in compliance with personal-data protection laws and related regulations. Recipient information used for sending is managed securely in line with our policies.

When sending promotional content under Korea's Network Act, you must observe the following:

• Obtain the recipient's prior consent to receive messages
• Mark the subject or body with (광고) / (AD)
• Provide a free opt-out method
• Obtain separate consent for nighttime promotional sends (9 PM–8 AM)

SureM supports a sending environment that helps you stay compliant with these rules.

Through the sender-number pre-registration system, messages can only be sent from registered and verified numbers, preventing spam and phishing via number spoofing. This gives recipients a messaging environment they can trust.

For technical questions — API integration, send errors, account settings — our technical support team can help. We provide support from onboarding through ongoing operations.

You can request an enterprise consultation through the business inquiry form on the SureM website. Tell us your intended use and estimated volume, and we'll advise on the right configuration and a quote.

If you didn't find your answer on this page, reach out via the contact option below and leave us your question. A team member will review it and get back to you promptly.