Office Phone
Setting up a korea branch for a foreign company
The purpose of establishing a korea branch of a foreign company is to conduct business activities in Korea. The legal status of a foreign company’s korea branch is subordinate to its foreign headquarters, meaning that it is not a separate and distinct company and the laws that apply to the headquarters also apply to the korea branch.
The advantage of establishing a domestic branch (sales office) of a foreign company is that unlike the establishment of a foreign-invested corporation, which requires a capital investment of 100 million KRW or more, it is possible to register a corporation and conduct business activities to generate revenue without investing capital.
However, the business is limited to the work of the overseas headquarters, and the liability extends to the headquarters in the event of a legal dispute.
Documents to be prepared when establishing a korea branch of a foreign company
The preparatory documents for establishing a korea branch include, first, documents to prove the existence of the foreign headquarters, second, documents related to the representitive of the Korean branch, and third, documents related to the lease contract of the Korean office.
Documents and powers of attorney issued abroad must be notarized, such as an apostille.
headquarters documents
- Proof of foreign headquarters existence (business registration certificate)
- Board resolutions
- Articles of Incorporation
- Shareholder List
- Letter of Appointment for Korea Branch Manager
- A copy of the headquarters representative’s passport
- A copy of the Korean representative’s passport
- Power of Attorney
Domestic documents
- Office lease agreement
- ID, seal stamp, and seal certificate if the branch manager is Korean
Installation procedure and duration
| Procedure | How long does it take |
| Prepare notarized documents (headquarters) | |
| ⇒ Report of establishment of Korea branch (designated foreign exchange bank) | 1 day |
| ⇒ Corporate Registration (Registry) | 7 days |
| ⇒ Business Registration (Tax Office) | 2 days |
| ⇒ Open Bank Account (Designated Foreign Exchange Bank) | 1 day |
Related visa: D7 visa
If the Korean representative is a foreigner, Headquarter can apply for a D7 dispatch visa. The size of your headquarters and whether you remit funds for operations are key criteria.
Provide samples for accurate documentation
- 외국인 투자신고 / 지점, 연락사무소 설치신고
- 거래은행 지정신청
- 법인설립 등기
- 사업자등록증 / 고유번호증 발급
- 외투기업등록증 발급
- 은행계좌개설
- 비자발급
- 세무대행
