Apostille for Korean Company Documents: Overseas Subsidiary

Which company documents are commonly required for setting up abroad?

The list varies by country and by structure (subsidiary, branch or liaison office), but the documents that come up again and again in consultations are the full corporate registry certificate, the articles of incorporation, the shareholder register, board or shareholders' meeting minutes (resolutions on incorporation or investment and appointment of the representative), a power of attorney for the local agent, the corporate seal certificate and the business registration certificate. Base the exact list on the requirements you receive from the local registration authority or your local legal and accounting advisers.

How does the route differ by document?

The Overseas Koreans Agency's rule is simple: documents prepared in an official capacity by the state, a local government (or a delegated institution) are submitted without notarization, while all other documents are notarized first to become 'notarized documents' and then submitted.

Based on the Overseas Koreans Agency "Apostille Issuance Procedure" and the e-Apostille eligible document list (checked 2026-10-03).

What is needed to apply in the company's name?

If the representative director applies in person, they need their own ID and the business registration certificate. If an employee or agency applies, they need the agent's ID, the business registration certificate, the original corporate seal certificate and the original power of attorney stamped with the corporate seal. If the originals are hard to provide, the company name stamp and corporate seal can instead be affixed to the front and back of the application form. The electronic revenue stamp is KRW 1,000 per issuance.

In what order should the document set be prepared?

Confirm the local requirements list → draft minutes and POA (with the wording required locally) → issue public documents such as the registry certificate in the 'for submission' version → notarize private documents → apostille → (if needed) translation and translation notarization → dispatch

Company documents come in many types, so their issue dates easily end up scattered. If the local authority requires documents issued within a certain period, time the issue date of public documents to the document that will be ready last. For minutes and the POA, get the wording required locally (agent's name, scope of authority, name of the company being established) first, so you do not have to notarize them again.

How should the English translation be handled?

The registry certificate and articles of incorporation are issued and drafted in Korean, so in most cases an English or local-language translation is needed. If the translation must also be certified, have it notarized and then obtain a Ministry of Justice apostille; if the local side accepts translations made locally, you can apostille only the originals and send them.

What if the destination country is not a Convention country?

For a non-party such as the UAE, the same documents go through consular confirmation at the Overseas Koreans Agency → embassy legalization at the embassy in Korea. Whether notarization is needed is decided the same way. The UAE case is covered in Corporate documents for the UAE: up to UAE Embassy legalization in Korea.