The laws foreign residents must follow in Korea are set out in the official immigration and stay guidance. That guidance states that laws are enacted through agreement among the members of the society, and that all citizens of the Republic of Korea shall respect and obey them. It then says clearly that all immigrants and foreigners shall also abide by laws.
This guide collects what the official guidance says about the laws foreign residents must follow in Korea, the offences it says Korea cracks down on, and the official channels you can call when you need an answer. It also lists the official bodies named for legal consultation and the support centers that give counseling to foreign residents.
At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Who it applies to | All citizens of the Republic of Korea shall respect and obey the laws, and all immigrants and foreigners shall also abide by laws. |
| Your basic duty | Respect and obey the law, and do not engage in any kind of activity that can undermine the society. |
| Named for crackdowns | Korea is making all-out efforts to crack down on drug offenders, sex offenders and others, and imposes severe punishment on them. |
| Police help | Call 112 and you get help from the police, instead of visiting a police station in person. |
| Immigration questions | The 1345 Immigration Contact Center, Monday to Friday 09:00 to 22:00, excluding public holidays. A call charge applies. |
| Calling from outside Korea | +82-2-1345, or +82-2-6908-1345 to 6. |
| Legal consultation | Different official bodies are named for general matters, family relations, labour problems, and industrial accidents. |
| Cost and penalties | Penalties are set by the law that applies to your case, so confirm the current rules on the official page before you act. |
Who has to obey Korean law
The official guidance gives one plain answer: everyone. It says that all citizens of the Republic of Korea shall respect and obey the laws. It then states separately that all immigrants and foreigners shall also abide by laws.
The same guidance describes this as a matter of attitude, not only of paperwork. To become a law-abiding citizen is named as one of the basic attitudes that foreign residents must have to live together as a member of the Korean society.
It also asks you to take local customs seriously. Korea respects the traditional social morals and customs inherited from ancient times, and foreign residents are told not to engage in any kind of activity that can undermine the society.
⚠️ Not knowing a rule does not change the rule. If you are unsure whether something is allowed, ask an official channel before you do it.
What the laws foreign residents must follow in Korea say about drugs and sex offences
The guidance names drug offenders and sex offenders among the people Korea is making all-out efforts to crack down on, and it then adds "etc.", so the list is not limited to those two groups. It states that Korea imposes severe punishment on them.
Narcotics and psychotropic drugs
Only a person authorised to use and handle narcotics may deal with them at all. For everyone else, the list of banned acts is very wide, and it covers far more than simply taking a drug.
- Carrying, possessing, using, transporting or controlling narcotics or psychotropic drugs
- Importing them, or exporting them (export is listed for psychotropic drugs)
- Manufacturing, preparing or dosing them
- Trading them, or assisting in trade of them
- Giving or receiving them, or delivering them
The guidance states that those who violate any of these will face a prison sentence specified in the related laws. The exact sentence depends on the law applied to your case.
Sex crimes
On sex offences, the guidance is direct: no person shall be allowed to engage in sex traffic or have sex in exchange for money. Paying for sex is not a grey area in Korea.
Korea is also described as making all possible efforts to crack down on sexual assaults like rape, sexual harassment, exposure of genitals, and other acts which can deal severe physical, linguistic and psychological violence to the victims through the media.
What the police do and how to call them
The police of the Republic of Korea are described as a law enforcement organization with a broad job. Knowing what they handle helps you decide whether the police are the right place to take your problem.
- Protect the life, body and properties of people
- Prevent crimes and suppress riots
- Investigate crimes
- Control vehicle traffic and prevent vehicle accidents
- Maintain security and order
You do not have to travel to a police station to reach them. The guidance says that if you call 112 instead of visiting a police station in person, you get help from the police.
⚠️ 112 is for police help. Immigration and stay questions go to the 1345 Immigration Contact Center instead.
Official channels that explain the laws foreign residents must follow in Korea
The official site lists the agencies and services you should use for different kinds of questions. Choosing the right one saves you a wasted trip, because a labour problem and an immigration problem are handled by different offices.
| If your question is about | Official body named in the guidance |
|---|---|
| Immigration and stay | The 1345 Immigration Contact Center |
| General legal matters | Korea Legal Aid Corporation |
| Family relations such as divorce, inheritance or adoption | Korea Legal Aid Center for Family Relations |
| Overdue wages or unfair dismissal | Ministry of Employment and Labor Civil-Petition Services |
| An industrial accident at work | Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Services |
| A petition about any government ministry | e-People |
| The wording of a law, or a court decision | Ministry of Government Legislation, Supreme Court, Supreme Court Library of Korea, Constitutional Court of Korea |
The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Employment and Labor are listed among the administrative agencies, along with the government website of the Republic of Korea. For immigration and stay questions, the 1345 Immigration Contact Center is open Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 22:00, excluding public holidays, and a call charge applies.
- Decide whether your problem is a police matter, an immigration matter, or a labour or civil matter.
- For police help, call 112 rather than going to a station in person.
- For immigration and stay, call 1345 inside the published hours.
- From outside Korea, use +82-2-1345 or +82-2-6908-1345 to 6.
- For a legal problem, contact the body in the table above that matches your topic.
- For a petition regarding a government ministry, use e-People, listed as the petition service covering all ministries.
Counseling and language support near you
If your Korean is limited, the official page also lists support centers that give counseling on residence, labour and daily life. Several of them offer interpretation, legal counseling and Korean language classes in one place.
| Center | Where it is | What it helps with |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Seoul Global Center | Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul | Life, law and labour counseling, Korean language education, multilingual information services |
| Korea Support Center for Foreign Workers | Guro-gu, Seoul | Law and occupational safety education, administrative application support, free medical service |
| Neomeo (Corporation) | Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do | Labour, residence and health insurance counseling, interpretation and translation |
| Daejeon Multi Cultural Center | Yuseong-gu, Daejeon | Residence and nationality counseling, Korean language education, vocational education |
| Gyeongsangbuk-do Goryeo People Support Center | Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do | Labour and employment counseling, interpreter support, immigration-related administrative support |
| Korea China Exchange Association | Seocho-gu, Seoul | Consultation with lawyers on wage arrears, residence and nationality applications |
Opening hours differ from center to center. Some are open Monday to Friday, some open on Saturdays or Sundays, and some run weekend programmes only, so check the hours of the specific center before you travel there.
⚠️ The published support center list was compiled as of August 2022. Addresses, phone numbers and hours can change, so confirm the details on the official page.
Common mistakes and what depends on your case
Most problems come from assuming that a rule from another country also applies here, or that a channel works at any time of day. These are the errors worth avoiding.
- Assuming that what is legal or tolerated at home is also allowed in Korea.
- Thinking that a small amount, private use, or only holding or delivering a drug for someone else falls outside the ban. Carrying, possessing, transporting and delivering are all listed as banned acts.
- Treating paid sex as a private matter. The guidance states that no person shall be allowed to engage in sex traffic or have sex in exchange for money.
- Reading the list of offences named for crackdowns as a closed list. It names drug offenders and sex offenders, then adds "etc.".
- Travelling to a police station when a call to 112 would get you help.
- Calling 1345 outside its hours of Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 22:00, excluding public holidays.
- Taking a labour problem such as overdue wages to the wrong office instead of the Ministry of Employment and Labor civil-petition service.
Penalties depend on the specific law that is applied to a case. For narcotics and psychotropic drugs, the guidance points to a prison sentence specified in the related laws rather than to a single fixed figure.
The help available to you also differs by office. Each body in the tables above covers a different topic, and each support center lists its own services and hours. If money, a deadline or a document list matters to your decision, confirm the current detail on the official page or with the official channel before you act.
Frequently asked questions
Do Korean laws really apply to me if I am only here on a visa?
Yes. The official guidance says that all citizens of the Republic of Korea shall respect and obey the laws, and that all immigrants and foreigners shall also abide by laws. It makes no exception based on the kind of stay you have.
Which offences does the guidance say Korea cracks down on most?
The guidance says that Korea is making all-out efforts to crack down on drug offenders, sex offenders and others, and that it imposes severe punishment on them. The wording ends with "etc.", so drug and sex offences are examples rather than the whole list.
What number do I call if I need the police?
Call 112. The guidance says that if you call 112 instead of visiting a police station in person, you get help from the police.
Where can I get legal advice as a foreign resident?
The official page names Korea Legal Aid Corporation for general matters and Korea Legal Aid Center for Family Relations for divorce, inheritance and adoption. For overdue wages or unfair dismissal it names the Ministry of Employment and Labor civil-petition service, and for industrial accidents the Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Services. Several support centers also offer legal counseling. Confirm the terms of the service with the body you contact before you go.
Who explains the laws foreign residents must follow in Korea?
The 1345 Immigration Contact Center handles immigration and stay questions from Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 22:00, excluding public holidays, with a call charge. From outside Korea you can use +82-2-1345 or +82-2-6908-1345 to 6. The Southwest Seoul Global Center is listed as providing multilingual information services along with life, law and labour counseling.
Start with the offences the guidance names first, narcotics and sex offences, and remember that it imposes severe punishment on them and that the list ends with "etc.". Then save 112 for police help and 1345 for immigration and stay questions, and note the one legal consultation body that matches your likely problem, whether that is wages, family relations or an accident at work. Because the laws foreign residents must follow in Korea are applied through specific statutes, confirm the current rules and hours on the official pages listed below before you act.
Last checked: October 30, 2026. Rules, fees and required documents in Korea change often, and some depend on your visa type and district office. Always confirm the current details on the official pages below before you go.