Ask Korea Law

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Tag Archives: Korean Law Office


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How to Cope with the Korean Police’s Summon for Criminal Investigation

Can Korean Police Issue a Summon Even When the Suspect Resides Abroad?

For a starter, there may be a question about whether the Korean police can summon a foreigner who resides abroad.  The answer is yes. The Korean criminal law applies to those who have committed crimes within Korea and then gone abroad, as well as those who have committed crimes against Koreans while staying outside of Korea.  Thus, a foreign resident could be sued and accused by the Korean police, and in such case, the Korean police moves to demand the foreign suspect to attend the investigation in Korea.  Recently, our office sees many cases where a foreign resident employee of a foreign company is called in by the Korean police in relation with its Korean subsidiary’s business.

Do I have to comply with the summon?

Since a foreign country is not within the domain of Korea’s criminal jurisdiction, it is not mandatory for the foreign resident suspect to comply with the summon.  However, if the foreign resident suspect refuses to comply with, the Korean law enforcement authority can get an arrest warranty, which could put the suspect at risk of being arrested upon entering Korea. Continue reading →


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How Fast Can a Divorce Be Finalized in Korea?

Divorce could be one of the hardest decisions that people make during their entire life.  If people decide to divorce, one question they might ask their Korean divorce lawyer is how long it will take to get the divorce decree from the Korean Family Court.  The short answer to this question is that it depends, the magic phrase that the lawyers would love to use in almost every dialogue.  The thing is, however, that it really depends on various factors, especially what types of divorce they are going through.  It could be a contested divorce or an uncontested divorce, which requires totally different approach and care.

If it is an uncontested divorce which means the parties have been able to agree about all the issues involved in a divorce such as custody, child support, visitation, property division and consolation money, the divorce decree can be obtained within 1 to 2 months.  That is pretty fast compared to other countries.  The parties don’t need to appear at the court so long as a Korean divorce attorney takes care of the case.  That is how our office in Seoul has been handling the uncontested divorce cases.

If the divorce is contested, it requires more time for the Korean Family Court to render a divorce decree.  It should go through several hearings and extensive arguments between the parties. Continue reading →


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[Q&A] As a Korean Adoptee Living in the U.S., Do I Have an Inheritance Right to My Biological Father in Korea?

Q) I am a Korean adoptee that lives in the U.S.  Recently I found my biological parents died in South Korea.  He is survived by his wife and 2 sons.  He had businesses in Korea.  Do I have a right to claim an inheritance to his estate?  I have never met or spoken to his wife and sons and so I don’t know if he had a will written.  What are my rights?

A) Based on your explanation, I am of the opinion that you are entitled to the inheritance to your deceased Korean father.  The law of your deceased father’s home country shall govern your inheritance claim.  Under Korean law, assuming he is survived by his wife and 2 sons, your inheritance share will be 2/9. (Please click here for a general overview of the Korean inheritance law)

You will need to file 2 suits with the Korean court.  The first one will be a paternity suit and the second one will be a inheritance claim suit.

Actually I have been dealing with a very similar case.  She was adopted to American family when she was young from Korea and asked our office to claim her inheritance to her deceased Korean biological father.  We won the paternity suit Continue reading →


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Prenuptial Agreement under Korean Law

Unlike situations in some states in the U.S., a prenuptial agreement is somewhat in a grey area in Korean legal system.  When the case later goes into a divorce by agreement, the prenup would be fully honored by the court, too.  When the case, however, goes into a judicial divorce or a contested divorce, the Korean court applies more strict standard in honoring the validity and application scope of the prenuptial agreement.

I would not say signing a prenuptial agreement is meaningless.  To the contrary having a prenuptial agreement is better than having no such agreement.  Even in case of a contested divorce, the existence of a prenuptial agreement could work for your advantage when the court decides which property shall be distributed and which property shall be opted out.

If you have any question regarding this article or you are in a similar case/situation , please visit our Legal Consultation center or send your inquiry email by clicking here.  Our Korean qualified lawyer will answer your inquiry.

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[Q&A] Can I Enforce My Washington State Child Support Ruling in Korea?

(Question) I have a question regarding my current situation with my ex husband. He is a Korean national and working there in South Korea.  I lived there until 2014 when I came back to Washington and filed a divorce complaint here. Since then he has refused to speak with me.  This year my US lawyer duly served him with the paper but he just kept ignoring it.  At any rate, I got a divorce decree and child support ruling for my baby this April.  Now I am wondering how I can enforce my US ruling in Korea, knowing that he is living a  luxurious life and feels that he can just ignore his child and the responsibilities that come with it.

(Answer) I have to say there is something unclear in this case.  If the court proceedings in Washington(WA) court have been duly made, i.e. (i) the WA court had proper jurisdiction and (ii) he was duly served, you can apply for its execution in Korea to the Korean court. Otherwise, you may initiate whole process de nuvo in Korea.  The second threshold seems to have been met here. Thus, the real issue here rather be the first one.

Please note that the jurisdiction must be acknowledged in the view of Korean law, not WA law. Thus, even though the WA ruling says the WA court has a proper jurisdiction, the Korean court will Continue reading →