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Representative services

Five laws. Five distinct representative functions.

A single foreign company may fall within more than one Korean domestic-representative regime. Each law applies its own covered-business classification, Korean-presence test, thresholds, appointment-priority rules and statutory functions.

Five separate regimes Different thresholds and functions Multiple appointments may apply

Start with the company’s actual role

Identify the potentially relevant regime

Business activity is only a starting point. The legal test may turn on whether the relevant entity is an AI business operator, value-added telecommunications provider, mail-order seller or intermediary, game distributor or provider, or personal-information controller. Its own Korean presence, statutory thresholds and Korean corporate relationships must then be reviewed.

05Requirement in force

Personal information and privacy

PIPA Domestic Representative

Foreign controllers processing personal information of Korean data subjects

Enhanced rules in force since 2 October 2025View service

Compare the legal tests

Different covered entities, triggers and appointment rules

After the applicable business-classification and Korean-presence conditions are satisfied, AI, e-commerce, game and PIPA use alternative trigger structures, while telecommunications requires both scale thresholds. PIPA, e-commerce and telecommunications may require appointment of a qualifying Korean corporation; the AI and game regimes do not currently state the same mandatory affiliate-priority rule.

Comparison of Korean domestic representative services
ServiceCommonly affected businessesStatusCore functionsPrimary authority
AI Foreign AI developers, providers, platforms and enterprise AI services Effective 22 January 2026 Submit required results concerning covered large-scale AI safety measures. Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT)
Telecommunications Potentially qualifying foreign platforms, SaaS, cloud and online services Article 22-8 · Current Perform the specified user-protection work under Article 32(1). Ministry of Science and ICT and Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC), according to function
E-commerce Overseas retailers, marketplaces, intermediaries and direct-purchase platforms Effective 21 January 2027 Take specified measures concerning consumer complaints and disputes. Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC)
Game Industry Overseas mobile, PC and console game publishers and platforms Effective since 23 October 2025 Coordinate covered post-market reports under the Game Industry Promotion Act. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and Game Rating and Administration Committee (GRAC)
PIPA Foreign controllers processing personal information of Korean data subjects Enhanced rules in force since 2 October 2025 Perform the domestic-representative functions assigned by PIPA for privacy management and data-subject matters. Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC)
Requirement in force

AI

Businesses
Foreign AI developers, providers, platforms and enterprise AI services
Status
Effective 22 January 2026
Core function
Submit required results concerning covered large-scale AI safety measures.
Authority
Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT)
Requirement in force

Telecommunications

Businesses
Potentially qualifying foreign platforms, SaaS, cloud and online services
Status
Article 22-8 · Current
Core function
Perform the specified user-protection work under Article 32(1).
Authority
Ministry of Science and ICT and Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC), according to function
Upcoming requirement

E-commerce

Businesses
Overseas retailers, marketplaces, intermediaries and direct-purchase platforms
Status
Effective 21 January 2027
Core function
Take specified measures concerning consumer complaints and disputes.
Authority
Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC)
Requirement in force

Game Industry

Businesses
Overseas mobile, PC and console game publishers and platforms
Status
Effective since 23 October 2025
Core function
Coordinate covered post-market reports under the Game Industry Promotion Act.
Authority
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and Game Rating and Administration Committee (GRAC)
Requirement in force

PIPA

Businesses
Foreign controllers processing personal information of Korean data subjects
Status
Enhanced rules in force since 2 October 2025
Core function
Perform the domestic-representative functions assigned by PIPA for privacy management and data-subject matters.
Authority
Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC)

Appointment vs Korean establishment

A representative performs defined statutory functions

Where an independent third-party appointment is legally permitted, the representative can address a defined domestic-representative obligation without becoming the foreign company’s Korean subsidiary, branch, seller, importer, controller or service operator. A Korean entity may still be required for separate licensing, tax, employment, sales, import, payment or operational reasons. Under PIPA, e-commerce and telecommunications rules, a qualifying Korean corporation may itself have to serve as the representative.

Within the agreed appointment

A representative may

  • Serve as the written or publicly disclosed Korean representative, subject to eligibility
  • Maintain the required Korean address and approved contact channels
  • Receive, log, triage and escalate covered authority, user, consumer or data-subject communications
  • Coordinate client-approved reports, submissions, notifications, complaints, disclosures or display functions assigned by the relevant law
  • Track deadlines, approvals, records and escalation procedures within the signed scope

Outside the appointment unless separately agreed

A representative does not automatically

  • Become the seller, merchant of record, importer, payment recipient, personal-information controller, telecommunications provider or game operator
  • Operate the underlying product, service, platform, game or technical systems
  • Make substantive refund, remedy, privacy, safety, technical, gameplay, policy, liability or legal decisions without approved authority
  • Assume compliance responsibilities outside the relevant law and signed engagement
  • Satisfy another domestic-representative regime merely because one appointment already exists

Preliminary review

Not sure which regime—or combination of regimes—applies?

Share basic company information. Agent Direct will use it for a preliminary non-legal screening and to discuss an appropriate next step.

Do not send sensitive material.

Do not submit credentials, identity documents, breach details, personal-data requests, confidential evidence or files through this form.

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Additional context

Submitting an inquiry does not create an appointment, legal assessment or attorney-client relationship.