As Korea’s population ages, Korean guardianship law has become increasingly important, especially for families dealing with family members with dementia and other physical and cognitive impairments. Adult Guardianship in Korea, in short, is designed to protect vulnerable adults from harm and ensure their basic needs are met, while protecting assets from the less-than-scrupulous. Korean courts, in most cases, try to provide the least restrictive form of support and protection; thus, the guardian’s powers are typically tailored to the ward’s particular needs. Foreigners with elderly Korean spouses, children
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IPG Legal: A Trusted Leader in International Inheritance Disputes with Families with Assets in China, Korea, Southeast Asia and North America
Inheritance disputes are rarely simple, especially when they cross international borders and involve multiple family members with differing legal rights, cultural expectations, and personal histories. These complex and often emotionally charged cases require more than just legal expertise—they demand discretion, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of international family and estate law. That’s where IPG Legal excels. Global Disputes, Local Expertise IPG Legal has built a strong reputation as one of the leading international law firms for inheritance disputes between families with assets in Korea, China, Southeast
Continue readingIPG Legal Prevails for American Father in International Child Abduction Case under New Korean Baliff Abduction Enforcement System
IPG Legal, one of the most experienced law firms in Korea handling international child abduction cases, has once again secured a significant legal victory with the return of a child from Korea back to the custodial father in the United States. While most of our cases are resolved prior to the need for the execution powers of a court baliff, the present case, regrettably, required the need for a baliff and security guards to enforce a Korean court order for the return of the child back to
Continue readingKorean Guardianship by Agreement of the Ward and Guardia
Korean Voluntary Guardianship (임의후견, im-ui hygyeon) or Korean Guardianship by Agreement is a legal arrangement, in Korea, under which an individual (the “Ward”), in anticipation of potential mental or physical incapacity due to illness, disability, or aging, delegates all or part of the authority to manage their personal affairs and assets to another person (the “Guardian”). This delegation is made through a formal written contract that grants representative authority over specified matters and comes into effect when the Family Court of Korea appoints a supervisor of
Continue readingIPG Legal’s Success in International Child Abduction Cases
IPG Legal, a prominent law firm with offices in Seoul, South Korea, has established itself as a leader in handling complex international child abduction cases, particularly those involving the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. It has the most number of successful cases of return of children of law firms in Korea. Their expertise has been demonstrated through several notable cases where they successfully facilitated the return of abducted children to their custodial parents. Notable Case: American Father’s Reunion with Children In a
Continue readingKorean Supreme Court Amends Method of Deducting Survivors’ Benefits from Damage Compensation
The Supreme Court of Korea, in an en banc decision, amended the method of deducting survivors’ benefits from damage compensation claims in the event of death of public officials or private university professors who are eligible to receive civil servant or private school pensions after retirement due to work-related accidents. The Korean Supreme Court adopted the “deduction after inheritance” method, which mandates that compensation claims are first distributed to heirs and then deducted from the share of heirs who are eligible to receive survivors’ pensions, thus, increasing
Continue readingLegal Reserve of Korean Inheritance for U.S. Citizens and other Expats with Estates in Korea
It is common for IPG Legal to handle matters where individuals born in Korea acquire U.S. citizenship and renounce their Korean nationality while still owning property in Korea and also matters where an expat passes with assets in Korea. When such U.S. citizen passes with assets in Korea, a key question arises: Can the heirs claim their legal reserve of inheritance? In other words, which law—U.S. or Korean—should govern the inheritance of their Korean assets? Governing Law and Inheritance The answer to this question hinges on the
Continue readingDiscovery & Division of Cryptocurrency Assets in Korean Divorce Cases
As cryptocurrency investment becomes increasingly popular in South Korea and throughout much of the world, it has also raised complex issues in divorce cases and other asset division cases. Due to its decentralized and often anonymous nature, digital assets like Bitcoin are sometimes used to conceal wealth during divorce proceedings, estate matters, and other asset division matters. Below, we answer common questions from IPG Legal clients who are navigating divorce cases and we shall have articles posted, in the near future, on other asset discovery issues facing
Continue readingKorean Child Custody and Paternity Rights in Korean Divorce Cases
When filing for divorce at a Korean court—whether it is uncontested (mutual consent) or contested (Korean court-ordered)—and minor children are involved, the divorcing parties (or the Korean Family Court) must decide who shall hold paternity rights and who shall have custody rights over the children. Korean Mutual Consent Divorce In a mutual consent divorce, a written agreement regarding the custody and paternity rights of the minor children must be submitted to the Family Court in Korea along with the divorce application. Since mutual consent divorces are based on
Continue readingGuide to Child Support Calculations in South Korea
The Seoul Family Court announced the Korean Child Support Calculation Guidelines on December 22, 2021. These guidelines are updated each year. While these guidelines are not legally binding on Korean courts, these Child Support Guidelines in Korea are widely used in Korean divorce cases to calculate child support in Korean courts. Judges usually consider these guidelines when making child support determinations. In the table above, the horizontal axis represents the combined income of both parents, while the vertical axis shows the age range of the child. The point where the
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