Foreign CompanySetup
Countries / Asia / South Korea

Country & jurisdiction guide

Company setup in South Korea

Republic of Korea · 17 legal forms listed

KR
CapitalSeoul
CurrencyKRW
LanguagesKorean
RegionEastern Asia

Start with the right structure

Explore legal entity forms and registration sources for South Korea. Use the local terminology below when discussing your application with the relevant authority.

Detailed foreign-investor rules for this jurisdiction have not yet been independently reviewed here. The registry sources below are the starting point for confirming the available formation route.

What to confirm before applying

These are planning questions, not verified South Korea requirements.

Foreign ownership & activity

Ask whether your nationality, ownership percentage and proposed business activity require investment approval, a local partner or a sector licence.

Directors & local presence

Confirm the required directors, shareholders, registered office, local representative and any residency or company-secretary rules.

Capital & incorporation costs

Obtain the current minimum capital, filing fees, notarisation costs, translations and annual renewal or service charges for the selected legal form.

Tax & ongoing compliance

Verify corporate tax, VAT or sales tax, withholding, beneficial-ownership reporting, accounting, audit and annual-return obligations.

Banking & immigration

Check bank onboarding and source-of-funds evidence separately. Company registration should not be treated as approval for banking, residence or work permission.

Explore investment rules with UNCTAD ↗

Your setup preparation checklist

Use this general sequence with the authority’s country-specific instructions. Ticks are temporary and reset when you leave this page.

Registration authorities

Sources listed by GLEIF. Some authorities cover regulated entities or validation only; check the relevant remit before applying. Links have not all been individually revalidated.

GLEIF authority list v1.8.1, November 2024 ↗