Ask Korea Law

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Specific Grounds for Disciplinary Action or Termination under Korean Labor Law – Employer’s Standpoint

When you hire an employee in South Korea, you cannot freely fire the employee.  The Article 30 of Labor Standard Act(“LSA”) requires a “justifiable cause” if and when an employer takes disciplinary actions, including termination of employment, with regard to its employees.  Korean courts have held that a “justifiable cause” refers to such causes as criminal offense, serious illegal acts, and gross negligent acts, etc. which would make maintaining of the relevant employment relationships no longer possible under generally accepted public notions.

Especially, because a termination of employment is the most extreme measure, taking away an employee’s means of making a living, Korean courts are known to be very strict in applying the above-noted criteria, when it determines whether a particular termination is justified.  Thus, unless an employee’s specific conduct is something that makes current employer-employee relationship no longer possible to continue, it would be advisable for an employer to take less severe disciplinary actions such as suspension of employment, reduction of salary, or reprimand.

Further, as regards the employment termination, under LSA, an employer may also terminate employees where the employer can establish Continue reading →


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[Q&A] You Can Enter into Korea during the Entry Ban Period with a Special Entry Permit from the Immigration Office

Q) I was deported from Korea in 2015. I was given a five year entry ban for domestic violence against my then ex South Korean wife. The sentence I received was 3 years probation. However, I have a young child in Korea, who is taken care of by my ex-wife, but I have been paying the child supports. I would like to visit Korea to see my child but I am very worried that my visa application or entry would be denied by the past record and the entry ban.  My ex wife and I are now in a good relationship and she would provide a supportive letter for me. What is the likelihood that the Korean immigration will allow me to see my son?

A) In principle, a foreigner listed on the entry ban of Korean immigration office is prohibited to enter Korea for some period of time.  There is, however, a special entry permit which can be made during the period of entry ban for some humanitarian reason.  Most common cases are for the family unity purposes.  For example, there was a case where Continue reading →


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[Q&A] Getting a Korean Criminal/Investigation Records Check Reply While Staying Abroad

Q) For my immigration purpose I need to submit to the Canadian authority a Korean Police Clearance Certificate of a Korean Criminal Check, whatever it is called,  which has “lapsed records” which means all the criminal records database search. I contacted the Korean embassy in Toronto and they only issue normal Police Record which is not accepted by the Canadian Immigration and told me I had to get it from the local police station in Korea.  However, it is not feasible for me to visit Korea just in order to get this document.  I’m wondering whether your law firm deals with this type of case or not ? If so I would like to know the details about the process.

A) Yes, we’ve been dealing with this kind of case quite many times.  The most recent client was in need of this document to submit to the Canadian immigration.  We could get Continue reading →


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[Q&A] Fake ID and Citizenship Revocation

Q) Recently, the Ministry of Justice(MOJ) had revoked my Korean citizenship.  I came from Pakistan, lived in Korea for 12 years without any problem and duly acquired my Korean citizenship 3 years ago.  The MOJ’s decision was made on the ground that my passport had been forged.  But that is not true.  It has a different name on it but it was a newly issued one which can be authorized by the local government.  Can I get my Korean citizenship back?

A) First of all, the MOJ’ decision to revoke your Korean citizenship is under the judicial review of Korean Administrative court.  There are cases where the court overturned the MOJ’s citizenship revocation on the ground that either (i) there is no legal ground for revocation and/or (ii) the decision causes too much personal harm rather than serving a public cause.

There are many fake/newly-issued foreign passport cases in Korea.  Some courts held that the revocation made against a person who had submitted a fake/newly-issued foreign passport while Continue reading →


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[Q&A] Do I Really Have to Give up My Inheritance Share as Other Korean Heirs Claim?

Q) My mother passed away a few months ago. There was no will. She was a Korean citizen and her husband too. All two children live in US. As we understand I have inherited a 2/7 share of my mother’s condominium and some cash in Korea. My stepfather and his Korean lawyer seem to up to no good. They both have sent conflicting and in my opinion false information to me. Especially his lawyer is threatening me that I would not able to sell my share so I had no choice but to give up or transfer my share. The stepfather asked me to sign POA and a Renunciation of Inheritance but I refused. Can you give any advice?

A) As your deceased mother was a Korean, the Korean inheritance law shall be the governing law in Korea.  Under Korean inheritance law, you and other heirs had already become the co-owners of the condominium and the bank assets of the deceased.  You have no reason to give up your share nor transfer the share to the stepfather as he advised.  The stepfather’s lawyer alleged that Continue reading →


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Paternity, Child Custody, Visitation and Child Support under Korean Law

We have received many inquires regarding the child support obligation and custody/visitation rights under the Korean law.  Some cases are related to the divorcing parties and some to the unmarried couples who had babies during the relationship.

In case of unmarried couples, the birth father has no parental rights and obligations until his paternity is established in Korea.  That can be done in 2 ways.  One is to report himself as the father with the Korean local government and the other one is a filing a paternity suit.

When the parental relationship is established by either way, the parties need to agree on the matters of child custody, visitation and child support.  The same goes for the divorcing couple.  When it is hard to reach an agreement, Continue reading →


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[Case Report] Attorney Wonil Chung Wins for Expat’s Korean Severance Entitlement – Foreign Employers Cannot Circumvent Severance Liability through a Contract Manipulation

There are so many foreign expats working in Korea.  As you know well, Korean labor law recognizes a severance liability of all employers in Korea regardless of the size of their business and also the nationality of the employee(check here as to how the the severance pay under Korean law is recognized and operates).  This also applies to the foreign employers such as Korean branches of foreign companies.  The problem is that some foreign employers are ignorant of their severance liability under the Korean law.  Even further, some foreign employers try to evade from their severance liability.  Sometimes they provide wrong information such as “foreigners are not entitled to the Korean severance” to their staffs, designate a foreign law as the governing law of their labor contracts, and have their staffs in Korea enter into the employment contract with their non-Korean entity such as a head office in the U.S. or a Singapore branch.  Those attempts, however, are all meaningless in a sense that regardless of those, they are still liable for the severance pay.  Actually, we have represented foreign employees for their Korean severance claim against the Korean branch and recently we won the case.

This case involved the expats working as ship inspectors in Ulsan Gorgon project.  We filed the severance suit on behalf of Continue reading →