Korea Company Registration

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What are the advantages of registering a Korean company?

What are the requirements for registering a company in Korea

What are the types of companies registered in Korea


limited liability company


joint-stock company


Partnerships


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representation office

limited liability company

Registered more business types. Minority-owned company with a maximum of 50 shareholders. Shareholders are not liable for any debts or obligations incurred by the company and their liability is limited to their share capital. There are very few requirements to open a limited liability company in Korea, at least one director of any nationality can open it, and the recommended registered capital for a Korean limited liability company is starting at 1,000,000 KRW.

joint-stock company

It is the most common business entity in Korea and a popular business entity for foreign investors to set up subsidiaries in Korea. It is a type of business entity that allows for the public issuance of stock. In a joint stock company, shareholders have limited liability to the company, and their liability depends on the amount of their capital investment; in addition, shares are freely transferable with the approval of the board of directors. Therefore, a shareholders' meeting must be held at least once a year.

Partnerships

A partnership is a business structure in which two or more people work together and distribute all profits and losses from the business. There are three types of partnerships in Korea, namely the general partnership (Hapmyeong Hoesa), the limited partnership (Hapja Hoesa) and the limited liability partnership (Hapja Johap).

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If you want to expand into the Korean market, a business can open a branch of a foreign company in Korea. Since the branch is an extension of the parent company, it can only perform business activities similar to those of the parent company. Therefore, the parent company is fully liable for all debts incurred by the Korean branch. In addition, there is no limit to the amount of investment or ownership.

representation office

Many foreign trade business owners start with a representative office (also known as a liaison office) because of its simple registration procedures. Representative offices are for foreign investors who do not intend to conduct business in Korea. Representative offices are not allowed to conduct commercial activities or generate revenue in Korea, such as selling goods or services. They may conduct non-commercial activities such as market research and R&D.

Basic information to be prepared

Registration time: about 5 working days

Q&A Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I have to move to Korea to open a local company?


Not required, but the conditions for setting up a Korean company include the appointment of at least one supervisor, who must be a legal resident of Korea and can also be a Korean resident visa (F-2,F5) holder.

2. What is the Korean corporate tax rate?


Companies operating in Korea, regardless of whether they are Korean residents or not, are subject to tax on their Korean-sourced income, as well as on income remitted to Korea from foreign countries. For companies with legal entities, the Korean government will impose a sales tax (VAT) of 101 TP3T on their corporate sales streams and a tax rate of 101 TP3T on their earned profits (Profits Tax).

3. What are the common types of registered Korean companies?


The most common types of companies in Korea include limited companies (유한회사, Yuhanchaek-im Sa) and joint stock companies (주식회사, Jusik Hoesa). A limited company is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses, while a joint stock company is suitable for large corporations or companies that intend to go public.

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