🇰🇷 South Korea · Company Registration
Entity types, registration process, required documents, costs, and official registries.
Quick answer
Foreign-invested companies register with the court commercial registry (searchable via IROS) and report the investment under the Foreign Investment Promotion Act; a stock corporation (jusik hoesa) is common. A business registration certificate from the tax office follows.
Companies in South Korea register with the court commercial registry (searchable via IROS); foreign-invested companies also register the investment. A stock corporation (jusik hoesa) is common.
- Companies are entered in the court commercial registry (IROS).
- Foreign-invested companies register the investment under FDI rules.
- A business registration certificate from the tax office is also required.
Step-by-step
- 1
Choose the company type
The jusik hoesa (stock company) is the most common form; the yuhan hoesa (LLC-type) suits smaller firms. Both give limited liability.
- 2
Reserve the trade name
Check the trade name is available — the same or a similar name in the same field at the same location is barred — before registering.
- 3
Prepare articles and deposit capital
Draft the articles of incorporation (jeonggwan), hold the inaugural meeting and appoint directors, then deposit the paid-in capital and obtain a bank balance certificate.
- 4
Complete commercial (court) registration
File the incorporation registration with the court registry through the online IROS system; the company acquires legal personality on registration.
- 5
Get business registration from the NTS
Apply for business registration (saeopja deungnok) with the National Tax Service to receive the business registration number needed for invoicing and VAT.
- 6
Notify foreign investment (if applicable)
A foreign investor files a foreign-direct-investment notification with a foreign-exchange bank or KOTRA under the Foreign Investment Promotion Act, then remits the capital.
Checklist
- Company type chosen (jusik hoesa or yuhan hoesa)
- Trade name cleared
- Articles of incorporation (jeonggwan)
- Paid-in capital deposited + bank balance certificate
- Court commercial registration via IROS
- Business registration number from the NTS
- Corporate bank account
- FDI notification (KOTRA / forex bank) for foreign investors
Official authorities
- IROS (Internet Registry Office)
Court commercial registration and company search.
Frequently asked questions
How do I register a foreign-invested company?
You report the foreign investment (often via a bank or KOTRA), incorporate through the commercial registry, then obtain a business registration certificate from the tax office.
What company type is common?
The jusik hoesa (stock corporation) is most common; the yuhan hoesa (LLC) is a simpler alternative.
Is there a minimum investment for a D-8 visa?
The corporate-investor (D-8) visa requires a minimum foreign investment amount; verify the current threshold before applying.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.
Government portals
- Government of Korea — Korea's integrated government portal — policy, administrative services, e-government
- Korea Immigration Service (HiKorea) — Visas, residence status changes, work permits, and alien registration in Korea
- National Tax Service (NTS) — Korean income tax, corporate tax, VAT filing; annual comprehensive tax return for foreigners (May); foreign taxpayer incentive lookup