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Launch Blueprint
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Incorporate a Startup in South KoreaChusik Hoesa (Joint-Stock Co.)

K-Startup grants, world-class 5G/AI infra, and direct access to LG/Samsung/Naver corporate VC.

Key incorporation facts for South Korea

Time to incorporate
2 - 3 weeks
Estimated setup cost
KRW 1.5M - 3M
Corporate tax rate
9% - 24%
Ease of remote setup
Limited
Annual compliance: NTS corporate tax + VAT quarterly + 4 social insurance \u00b7 Currency: KRW \u00b7 7 required materials / 13 total

10-step launch checklist

From pre-launch name reservation through first annual filing.

  1. 01
    Reserve company name with Supreme Court Registry
    Pre-Launch
  2. 02
    Submit Foreign Investment Notification (if foreign-owned)
    Pre-Launch
  3. 03
    Open capital deposit account and pay-in share capital
    Banking
  4. 04
    Notarize Articles of Incorporation
    Incorporation
  5. 05
    Register with court registry; receive corporate registration certificate
    Incorporation
  6. 06
    Apply for NTS business registration certificate
    Tax
  7. 07
    Register for VAT
    Tax
  8. 08
    Enroll in 4 social insurance schemes
    Operations
  9. 09
    KFTC mall-business registration (if e-commerce)
    Compliance
  10. 10
    File first corporate tax return with NTS
    Compliance

Legal & Incorporation

Standard Korean corporation formation via Supreme Court Registry + NTS.

Supreme Court Internet Registry

PORTAL

Korean commercial registration portal (iros.go.kr).

guideREQUIREDOpen resource \u2192

Articles of Incorporation

DOCX

Notarized articles for a Joint-Stock Corporation under Korean Commercial Act.

templateREQUIREDOpen resource \u2192

Foreign Investment Notification

PORTAL

Required FDI notification via Invest KOREA for foreign-invested company.

formREQUIREDOpen resource \u2192

Tax & Banking

NTS, VAT, and Korean business banking.

NTS Business Registration

PORTAL

National Tax Service - mandatory within 20 days of starting business.

guideREQUIREDOpen resource \u2192

VAT Registration

PORTAL

10% VAT - quarterly filings mandatory for all corporations.

guideREQUIREDOpen resource \u2192

Shinhan / KB Business Account

LINK

Documents needed to open a Korean business bank account.

guideOpen resource \u2192

Regulatory & Licenses

PIPA, KFTC e-commerce, and FSC fintech licensing.

PIPA Compliance Guide

PORTAL

Personal Information Protection Act - among the strictest in Asia.

guideREQUIREDOpen resource \u2192

KFTC E-commerce Registration

PORTAL

Korea Fair Trade Commission mall-business registration for any online seller.

guideREQUIREDOpen resource \u2192

FSC Fintech Sandbox

PORTAL

Financial Services Commission innovation sandbox for fintech and crypto.

guideOpen resource \u2192

Local Infrastructure

K-Startup, KOTRA, accelerators, payments.

K-Startup Grants Portal

PORTAL

Up to KRW 1B in non-dilutive grants for early-stage Korean startups.

guideOpen resource \u2192

KOTRA Invest KOREA

PORTAL

Free office, legal, and tax assistance for foreign-invested companies.

guideOpen resource \u2192

Naver Pay / Kakao Pay / Toss

PORTAL

Dominant Korean payment methods - Stripe coverage is limited.

guideOpen resource \u2192

D.CAMP / SparkLabs Korea

PORTAL

Top Seoul-based accelerators with strong Korean conglomerate ties.

guideOpen resource \u2192

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to incorporate in South Korea?
Setup typically costs KRW 1.5M - 3M, with a 9% - 24% corporate tax rate.
How long does it take to incorporate in South Korea?
Incorporation usually completes in 2 - 3 weeks.
Can I incorporate remotely in South Korea?
South Korea typically requires some in-person steps or a local agent.
What annual compliance applies to a Chusik Hoesa (Joint-Stock Co.)?
NTS corporate tax + VAT quarterly + 4 social insurance

Ready to incorporate?

Open the interactive launch blueprint for South Korea: track your progress, compare with other jurisdictions, ask the AI Launch Copilot, and download a personalised PDF plan.

Open Interactive Blueprint