Korean Licensing, Handled by Experts
YouSun Administrative Agency specializes in all Korean government business licenses for foreign individuals and companies — from application to approval.
What YouSun Administrative Agency handles most
Six permit areas we handle most often for Korean and foreign companies. Each page covers who needs it, requirements, steps, documents and timelines.
Nonprofit Association
Articles, founding meeting, ministry permit and registration of an incorporated nonprofit association
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Telecom Business Registration
Value-added telecommunications reports, special-type registration and facilities-based registration
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Location-Based Service Report
Reports under the Location Information Act, including foreign companies without a Korean entity
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Cosmetics Registration
Ingredient review, responsible distributor and manufacturer registration, functional cosmetics and safety data
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Health Functional Food
Import business registration, sales business report, manufacturing permit and functional ingredient approval
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Factory Registration
Factory establishment approval, completion report and factory registration certificate
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Instant Chat via QR
Scan the QR code with your smartphone camera to start a consultation instantly. Available in Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese.
Meet Our Specialists
Your assigned specialist handles your case from start to finish. You'll be matched after your initial consultation.
Chief Admin Agent
Jung Yu-sun
KR · EN
Admin Agent
Jung Hee-jung
KR · EN
Admin Agent
Kim Jung-eun
KR · EN · 中文 · 日本語
Admin Agent
Lee Won-jung
KR · EN · 中文 · 日本語
Office Manager
Baek Seung-su
KR · EN
Director
Kim Young-ju
KR · EN
Director
Heo Kyung
中文 · KR · EN
Every Korean License Under One Roof
Food & Liquor7
Food Manufacturing
Businesses that manufacture, process, or package food products must register with the local public health center under the Food Sanitation Act.
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HACCP Certification
HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) certification is mandatory for many food categories in Korea and strongly recommended for all food businesses.
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Health Functional Food
Importing health functional food requires two steps: registering an imported food sales business with the Regional Ministry of Food and Drug Safety office, then filing an import notification for each shipment.
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General Restaurant Business Report (Restaurant Business License) in Korea
Scope: a business that cooks and sells food where drinking alcohol is allowed incidentally with meals.
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Imported Food Importer / Distributor Business Registration in Korea
Scope: a business that imports and sells imported food, etc.
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Liquor Import License in Korea
Scope: a business that exports or imports alcohol (liquor import/export business).
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Entertainment Bar (Yuheung Jujeom) Business Permit in Korea
Scope: entertainment bar business (mainly cooking and selling alcohol, where entertainment staff and entertainment facilities are allowed) and karaoke bar (danran jujeom) business.
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Lodging, Tourism & Travel8
Foreign Tourist Guesthouse
This license allows you to legally provide accommodation services to foreign tourists using residential facilities in urban areas.
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Hostel Business
A hostel business license allows operation of budget accommodation providing dormitory-style lodging primarily for youth and budget travelers.
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Hanok Experience
The Hanok Experience Business license allows operation of traditional Korean architecture as a tourist accommodation.
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Accommodation Business (Lodging) Report in Korea
Scope: a business providing facilities and services where guests can sleep and stay.
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Residential Lodging Facility Business Report in Korea
Scope: lodging (residential) — a business providing lodging services including cooking facilities (residential lodging facilities).
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Rural Homestay (Nongeochon Minbak) Business Report in Korea
Scope: rural homestay businesses run by residents of rural, fishing or semi-rural areas.
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Campground Business Registration in Korea
Scope: general campground and auto campground businesses (youth campgrounds are excluded).
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Travel Agency (Travel Business) Registration in Korea
Types: general travel agency, overseas/domestic travel agency, domestic travel agency.
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Construction, Real Estate & Development5
Building Use Change
Changing the designated use of a building (e.g., from residential to commercial) requires a permit or notification to local authorities under the Building Act.
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Factory Registration
Factory registration under the Industrial Cluster Development and Factory Establishment Act runs from establishment approval through completion reporting to entry in the factory register.
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Construction Business Registration in Korea
Scope: construction business — trades for general works and trades for specialty works.
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Real Estate Development Business Registration in Korea
Scope: real estate development where the building floor area or land area is at or above the scale set by Presidential Decree.
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Development Activity Permit and Farmland Conversion Permit in Korea
Development activity permit: construction, installing structures, changing the form and quality of land, quarrying, land subdivision, etc.; granted by the Mayor of the Special or Metropolitan City or the city mayor or county head; processing period of 15 days on the application form.
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Environment, Chemicals & Energy4
Hazardous Chemical Business Permit in Korea
Scope: hazardous chemical manufacturing, sales, storage, transport and use businesses (5 business types).
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Waste Treatment Business Permit in Korea
Scope: waste collection and transport; intermediate, final and comprehensive disposal; and intermediate, final and comprehensive recycling businesses.
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Air and Wastewater Emission Facility Installation Permit and Report in Korea
Scope: air pollutant emission facilities (Clean Air Conservation Act) and wastewater discharge facilities (Water Environment Conservation Act).
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Solar Power Generation Business Permit in Korea
Scope: power generation businesses such as solar (one type of electricity business).
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Medical, Pharma, Cosmetics & Care11
Cosmetics License
Manufacturing or importing cosmetics and quasi-drugs (의약외품) in Korea requires registration or licensing with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
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Cosmetics responsible seller registration (화장품책임판매업 등록)
Who: businesses that distribute and sell cosmetics they manufacture themselves, have manufactured under contract or import, or that arrange and deliver cosmetics through import-agency transactions in e-commerce.
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Cosmetics Manufacturer Registration in Korea
Who: businesses that manufacture cosmetics directly, manufacture them under contract, or do primary packaging (secondary packaging or labelling alone is excluded).
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Functional Cosmetics
Functional cosmetics are not certified — they are either reviewed by the President of the National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation or covered by a report.
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Ingredient and labelling review for imported cosmetics
Who: cosmetics responsible sellers importing cosmetics manufactured abroad for distribution and sale in Korea.
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CGMP Compliant Facility Assessment for Cosmetics in Korea (우수화장품 제조 및 품질관리기준 적합업소)
Who: cosmetics manufacturers (all processes, or only bulk manufacturing or filling and primary packaging); a recommended standard, not an obligation.
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Cosmetics Safety Assessment and Safety Information Management in Korea
Who: cosmetics responsible sellers (the safety assessment excludes import-agency-type sellers and sellers specified by Ordinance of the Prime Minister); safety information reporting also applies to customized cosmetics sellers.
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Medical Device Import
Medical device importing requires both an import business license under the Medical Devices Act and a per-item import approval, certification or notification.
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Pharmaceutical Wholesale License in Korea
Scope: pharmaceutical wholesalers (a permit under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act).
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Foreign Patient Attraction Business Registration in Korea
Scope: arranging medical appointments and contracts (and acting as agent), providing treatment information and guiding transport/lodging for foreign patients.
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Long-Term Care Institution Designation in Korea
Scope: long-term care institutions providing in-home benefits (home-visit care, home-visit bathing, home-visit nursing, day/night care, short-term care, etc.) or facility benefits.
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Finance, Exchange & Remittance3
Currency Exchange
Under the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act, a person who is not a financial institution and wishes to buy and sell foreign currency as a business must register in advance.
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Money Lending Business Registration in Korea
Scope: money lending and loan brokerage businesses (excluding credit financial institutions).
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Small Overseas Remittance Business Registration
Scope: small overseas remittance business (cross-border payments and receipts) by a person that is not a financial institution.
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Certification & Procurement7
Women-Owned Business
Women-owned business certification under the Act on Support for Women's Enterprises provides access to government procurement preferences, subsidized loans, and various support programs.
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Venture / Innobiz Cert.
Venture company and Innobiz (innovative SME) certifications provide access to substantial government tax benefits, R&D grants, and procurement preferences.
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Corporate Research Lab
Establishing a certified corporate research laboratory (기업부설연구소) provides significant tax benefits and grants under Korea's R&D support system.
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R&D Programme
Participation in government R&D programmes follows the announcement, open competition, selection evaluation and agreement procedure of the National R&D Innovation Act.
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Government Procurement
Registration on Korea's Public Procurement Service (PPS) system — KONEPS (나라장터) — allows companies to bid on and supply to Korean government contracts.
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Mainbiz (Management Innovation SME) Selection
Scope: SMEs engaged in management innovation activities.
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KC Certification and Radio Equipment (EMC/Radio) Certification in Korea
KC safety: safety certification (product test + factory audit), safety confirmation (test by a testing body, then filing), supplier's conformity confirmation (self-confirmation, then filing).
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Corporations & Associations3
Non-Profit Corporation
Establishing a non-profit association (사단법인) in Korea requires ministerial approval and registration with the court.
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Cooperative Establishment Report in Korea
Scope: general cooperatives and federations of cooperatives (social cooperatives require authorization from the Minister of Planning and Budget).
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Incorporated Foundation Establishment Permit in Korea
Scope: incorporated foundations for non-profit purposes such as academic, religious, charitable, artistic or social activities.
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Education, Culture & Sports4
Sports Club Registration
Designated sports clubs (지정스포츠클럽) receive government recognition and support for community sports development.
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Sports Facility Business Report in Korea
Scope: report-type sports facility businesses such as martial arts studios, fitness centers, billiard halls, golf driving ranges and swimming pools (golf courses, ski resorts and motor racing tracks require registration).
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Private Academy (Hagwon) Establishment & Operation Registration in Korea
Scope: a facility that teaches knowledge, skills or arts under a course of 30 days or more to a set number of learners or the general public.
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Pop Culture and Arts Planning Business (Entertainment Agency) Registration in Korea
Scope: pop culture and arts planning business (entertainment agencies, etc.).
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Transport, Logistics, Auto & Aviation4
Intl. Freight Forwarding
International freight forwarding is a business that arranges cargo transportation on behalf of shippers.
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Trucking Licence
A trucking transport business licence under the Trucking Transport Business Act comes in two forms: general (20 or more vehicles) and individual (one vehicle).
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Used Car Dealer and Car Rental Business Registration in Korea
A used car dealership (motor vehicle trading business) must be registered with the head of the si/gun/gu under the Motor Vehicle Management Act, while a rent-a-car business (motor vehicle rental business) must be registered with the si/do governor under the Passenger Transport Service Act.
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Drone Business Registration in Korea (Ultralight Flying Device Use Business)
Scope: businesses using ultralight flying devices (unmanned aircraft, etc.), such as filming, crop spraying or surveying.
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Distribution, Sales & Import3
Tobacco Import & Sales
Importing and selling tobacco products in Korea requires tobacco import and sales business registration with the Mayor or Do Governor having jurisdiction over the head office or principal office.
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E-Cigarette Import
Importing nicotine e-cigarettes (liquids and heated tobacco products) into Korea requires tobacco import and sales business registration with the Mayor or Do Governor of the head office location under the Tobacco Business Act.
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Mail-Order Sales Business Report (Online Shop Registration) in Korea
Scope: mail-order sellers report their name, address, phone, e-mail, domain and host server.
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IT & Telecom3
Telecom Business
Companies offering telecom-based services in Korea file a value-added telecommunications business report with the Ministry of Science and ICT, register special-type services such as webhard, P2P and bulk SMS, or register facilities-based services as a corporation.
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Location-Based Service
Any business that provides a location-based service using personal location information to users in Korea must file a location-based service business report with the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) under the Act on the Protection and Use of Location Information.
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Software Business Operator Report and Status Management Application in Korea
Scope: persons engaged in software business (software business operators).
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Personal & Hygiene Services4
Beauty Salon Business Report in Korea
Scope: general, skin care, nail, make-up and comprehensive beauty businesses (public hygiene businesses).
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Disinfection Business Report in Korea
Scope: anyone who intends to carry out disinfection as a business (some housing management operators are excluded).
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Pet Business Permit and Registration in Korea
Permit required: animal breeding, animal import, animal sales and animal funeral businesses.
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Marriage Brokerage Business Report and Registration in Korea
Scope: domestic marriage brokerage (report) and international marriage brokerage (registration).
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5 Steps to Your Korean Business License
Consultation
We assess your business situation and identify the exact licenses required.
Document Prep
We provide a full document checklist and assist with preparation of all required paperwork.
Filing
We submit documents to the relevant government agency and monitor progress in real-time.
Review Response
Our administrative agents handle all supplementary requests and agency queries on your behalf.
Approval
Once approved, we deliver your license certificate and provide post-licensing support.
You Need a Partner You Can Trust
We are not just a paperwork service. We are your full licensing partner — responsible from first application to final approval.
- Officially registered under the Certified Administrative Agents Act
- Dedicated administrative agent assigned to each client
- Regular status updates throughout the process
- Accountability for the outcome of each case
- Post-license management and renewal alerts
Start Today
Tell us your business situation and we will recommend the best licensing path.