Korean Subsidiary Setup for Overseas Companies
One accountable Korean attorney team takes your parent company from board resolution to a registered, tax-registered Korean subsidiary — in English, with a fixed-fee quote after scoping.
The slowest part is almost always the parent's documents abroad. We give you the exact list for your jurisdiction on day one. For the full legal process, see the Korea company registration guide; for statutory charges, the cost calculator.
What is included
- Structure advice: subsidiary, branch or liaison office, and Chusik Hoesa vs Yuhan Hoesa for your group
- Parent-company document list for your jurisdiction, with apostille or consular legalization route
- Board resolution, power of attorney and director consents drafted for your parent to sign
- Foreign investment (FDI) notification and capital remittance coordination
- Articles of incorporation, court registration and registration tax filing
- Tax office registration and foreign-invested company registration
- Corporate seal, seal certificate and bank onboarding support
- Handover pack for your accountant and payroll provider
Subsidiary, branch or EOR?
| Subsidiary | Branch | Employer of record | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal entity in Korea | Yes, a Korean company | No, part of the parent | No |
| Parent liability | Limited to capital | Unlimited | Contractual |
| Sign local contracts and invoice | Yes | Yes | No |
| Hire employees | Yes | Yes | Through the provider |
| Basis for D-8 visa | Yes, with FDI status | Branch route | No |
More detail: subsidiary vs branch vs liaison office and EOR vs your own entity. Parent document rules: apostille and notarization. Bank preparation: corporate bank account requirements.
How it works
- Step 1
Scoping call and fixed-fee quote
You tell us what the Korean entity will do, who owns it and when you need it. We confirm the vehicle, the parent documents for your country and the timeline, then send a fixed-fee quote.
- Step 2
Parent-company documents
We draft the board resolution and powers of attorney. Your parent signs them and has its corporate documents notarized and apostilled (or legalized) at home; we check every page before anything is sent to Korea.
- Step 3
FDI notification, capital and registration
We file the FDI notification before the money moves, coordinate the remittance with the bank, adopt the articles and register the company at the court registry, paying the registration tax.
- Step 4
Tax, FDI registration and handover
We register the subsidiary with the tax office and as a foreign-invested company, support the corporate bank onboarding, and hand over the corporate documents and a first-90-days checklist to your team.
FAQ
Can our overseas company own 100% of a Korean subsidiary?
Yes, in most industries. A short list of sectors is closed or capped for foreign investment, so we check your business purposes before filing.
What does our parent company need to provide?
Usually a certificate of incorporation or good standing, a board resolution approving the investment and naming a signatory, and a power of attorney, each notarized and apostilled (or legalized where the Apostille Convention does not apply). The exact list depends on your jurisdiction.
How much capital should the subsidiary have?
Korean company law has no minimum share capital. To qualify as a foreign investment under the Foreign Investment Promotion Act, the investment must be at least KRW 100 million with a 10% or larger voting stake. Above that, size the capital to your first year of costs.
Does anyone from the parent need to travel to Korea?
Not for incorporation itself: documents are signed abroad and filed in Korea under power of attorney. The bank may ask to meet the representative director, so plan for that step.
Subsidiary, branch or employer of record?
A subsidiary limits the parent's liability and is the usual choice for contracting, hiring and holding licences. A branch is part of the parent. An employer of record suits one or two hires with no local contracting. We compare them for your case in the scoping call.