A party attempting to collect on a debt or potential liability based on breach of contract or torts in Korea may obtain a Provisional Attachment of an Asset. Another useful tool to expedite proceeding in a Korean civil matter is to Obtain a Payment Order from a Korean Court. A provisional attachment is considered provisional, since the attachment is executed prior to the final judgement. The, facial, purpose of a provisional
Continue readingTag: English-speaking lawyers in Korea
Jurisdiction and Choice of Law Issues in Agency Agreements
In drafting and negotiating a Korean commercial agency agreement between a principal located in one country and an agent located in another country, proper consideration needs to be given to the choice of law regarding the governing law and jurisdiction of such an agreement. Jurisdiction determines which country’s courts will hear any proceedings that may be brought in relation to the agreement, whilst governing law is the law that shall
Continue readingKorean Arbitration: An Introduction
Korean Arbitration has come a long way since the ratification of the New York Convention in 1973. The Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB) went from a small organization handling a handful of cases to, now, and organization handling hundred of arbitration cases each year. The number of international arbitrations is, also, on the rise. This article shall give readers the backstory of how Korean arbitration as a dispute mechanism tool
Continue readingAmendment to the Korean Immigration Act Supports Foreign Children in Cases of Child Abuse
In early April 2019 the Chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee proposed an Amendment to the Immigration Act of Korea , with the facial purpose of implement more supportive regulations to assist foreign children that are victims of child abuse. Please note, unlike in the United States and some other Western countries, being born in Korea does not, automatically, grant you the right to Korean citizenship. The Amendment shall
Continue readingIPG’s Sean Hayes Received the Highest Lawyer Rating from AVVO for his Work on International Legal Issues
IPG is proud to announce that Sean Hayes received the highest rating from AVVO. Avvo is an American attorney rating site and information portal. AVVO is one of the largest and most respected attorney rating sites in the United States. Sean, frequently, receives top ratings from legal rating services for his international law work. His law firm was, recently, rated South Korea’s Top Dispute Resolution Law Firm of the Year.
Continue readingMandatory Registration of Long-term Trips Abroad – Korean Registration of Korean Nationals Residing Abroad Act of 2019
The Amendment to the Korean Registration of Korean Nationals Residing Abroad Act (hereinafter as “Amendment to the Registration of Korean Nationals Abroad Act”) shall enter into force at the end of 2019. The Amendments major focus is on collecting more information about Korean nationals staying or residing abroad. For a related update related to Korean Passports, please see: Korean Passports. Key-facts about the Registration of Korean Nationals Residing Abroad Act
Continue readingKorea Enhances its Scope of Eligible Persons under the Framework Act on International Development Cooperation: Korean Aide to Developing Countries
The Amendment to the Korean Framework Act on International Development Cooperation (hereinafter as “Act”) was proposed by the Korean Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee at the end of last year. The law intent is to improve the human rights of juveniles in developing countries by the establishment of a variety of international development cooperation programs for at risk and impoverished children. Main Objectives of the Korean Framework Act on International
Continue readingKorea Amends the Act on the Employment, etc. of Foreign Workers in 2019: Employment Law Updates
Amendment to the Act of the Employment, etc. of Foreign Workers in Korea (hereinafter as “Amendment to the Act of the Employment of Foreign Workers” of Korea) was proposed by the Korean Environment and Labor Committee in December 2018. The focus of the Amendment of the Employment of Foreign Workers is on the improvement of the living conditions of foreign workers at dormitories provided by their companies. Major Changes Due
Continue readingKorea’s Amendment to the Act on the Arrival, Departure, etc. of Ships: Korean Shipping Law
Dangerous substances, illegal substances and other controlled substances are believed, in Korea, to be more often transported by ships into Korean waters. Thus, the Korean government has amended a giving act concerning Korean Shipping Law. To, among other things, increase transparency of what is being shipped, the Korean Act on the Arrival, Departure, etc. of Ships (hereinafter as “Act on Ships” or “Korean Shipping Act”) was amended. The Korean Act
Continue readingKorea’s New Electronic Passport Without Resident Registration Number in 2020
The Amendment to the Korean Passport Act introduces a new Korean Electronic Passport. The passport excludes the Resident Registration Number and establishes a new system in order to ease administrative work of the government. This Amendment shall become effective in 2020. The Passport Act of the Republic of Korea According to Art. 7 Passport Act every Korean passport shall include: Type of passport; Issuing state; Passport number; Date of issuance
Continue readingKorea Focuses on Greater Control over Imported Food – Amendment to the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control 2019
The Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control was recently amended and shall strengthen the on-site inspections of foreign establishments, which already export food to Korea, as well as those, which apply for registration of the importation of overseas food. The Amendment was proposed in early April 2019 and shall become effective upon promulgation. We expect substantially heightened risk for importers and an increase in the price of many imported
Continue readingThe Amendment to the Korean Pharmaceutical Affairs Act 2019
The Korean Pharmaceutical Affairs Act (hereinafter as “Pharma-Act”) was proposed by the Chair of the Health and Welfare Committee of Korea on December 27, 2018. The Pharma Act shall adds more cumbersome regulations on the foreign qualifications of pharmacists, increases the limits of penalty surcharges and shall change the system to transfer a Korean pharmacy businesses. This Amendment shall become effective in July 2019. The major amendments are detailed below.
Continue readingKorea Fully Legalizes the Usage of LPG as a Fuel for Vehicular Transportation
The Amendment to the Korean Safety Control and Business of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Act (“Liquefied Petroleum Gas Act” or “Act”) was proposed by the Korean Chair of the Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee on March 13, 2019 and shall become effective upon promulgation. The aforementioned Amendment enables the use of liquefied petroleum gas (“LPG”) as a fuel for vehicular transportation in the Republic of Korea via elimination of
Continue reading“Fine Dust” as Socially-Generated Natural Disaster – Amendment to the Framework Act on the Management of Disasters and Safety 2019
As a further reaction to the fine dust-issue in Korea, the Chair of Korea’s Public Administration and Security Committee proposed an Amendment to the Framework Act on the Management of Disasters and Safety (hereinafter a “Act on Management of Disasters”) on March 13, 2019. The regulation shall become effective upon promulgation. The major legal change is the “damages caused by fine dust” as a being defined as a “socially-generated natural
Continue readingAmendment to the Korean Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act 2019
The Amendment to the Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act of Korea was proposed by the Korean Chair of the National Defense Committee on April 4, 2019 and shall become effective in the autumn of 2019. The Amendment stipulates the extension of the scope of “protection zones” within a military base or installation in Korea and amends the process to remove the status as a “protection zone” with the
Continue readingTax Breaks for Korean Landlords: Real Estate Taxation Basics
Proposed by the Chairman of the Strategy and Finance Committee of the Republic of Korea on September 20, 2018, the Amendment to the Korean Restriction of Special Taxation Act came into force on January 1, 2019. The amendment has decreased the taxation burden of some landlords. The Act was amended in favor of Korean landlords who renew long-term rentals with tenants by charging a lower increase of rent by a
Continue readingKorea Government Filed a Complaint with WTO Over Japan’s Export Restrictions on Korea
The South Korean government filed a complaint over Japan’s, recently imposed, export restrictions with the World Trade Organization, blaming Tokyo for taking a biased measure against Korea for political reasons. During a press conference in Seoul, the nation’s Trade Minister Myung-hee YOO said that the Japanese government’s export controls, focusing on Korea, was a direct violation of WTO regulations. Trade Minister YOO noted the Japanese government’s decision to restrict exports
Continue readingNew Provisions regarding the Korean Act on Reporting and Using Specified Financial Transaction Information
The Amendment to the Act on Reporting and Using Specified Financial Transaction Information of Korea (hereinafter as “Amended Financial Transaction Information Act of Korea”) focuses on strengthening Korean legal provisions related to money laundering as well as implementing a “global standard” proposed by the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering. The Amended Financial Transaction Information Act of Korea shall enter into force on July 1, 2019. Major provisions of
Continue readingKorean Patent Law’s Trade Secret Protection: Amendment to Trade Secret Law in Korea
The amended Patent Act of Korea (“Korean Patent Act”) and the amended Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act (“Korean Trade Secret Protection Act”) of Korea shall enter into force on July 9, 2019. The most important key developments are great criminal penalties for trade secret misappropriations; damage awards up to three times of the actual damage regarding infringements of patent rights or trade secret rights; eased litigation requirements
Continue readingSucceeding in Business in Korea
Since 1977, I have observed the rise and fall of many foreign companies in South Korea. I have witnessed the trials and tribulations as a bank employee, a high-tech salesman, a country manager and as a business consultant of foreign and Korean companies doing business in Korea . Bluntly speaking, while some foreign ventures have had some unlucky breaks, those companies that have succeeded in the Korean market have done
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