Lawyers and legal
English-speaking lawyers and legal help in Korea
Immigration, labor, family, and criminal help, from free government services to private firms. Every firm here has a confirmed Korean-licensed attorney.
Two things before you pay for a lawyer: first, many problems (unpaid wages, a visa question, a lease dispute) can start with the free services below, especially 1345, which connects you to a licensed attorney in your language at no cost. Second, when you do hire a firm, confirm the attorney is a Korean-licensed lawyer (변호사), ask whether that lawyer personally handles your file, and get a written fee agreement before you commit. Every firm listed here has a Korean-licensed attorney confirmed on its own site.
Free and low-cost (start here)
5 listedGovernment and NGO services. For many issues this is the right first call, and for income-qualifying residents it can cover full representation.
1345 Immigration Contact Center, Village Lawyers for Foreigners
외국인을 위한 마을변호사
Immigration & visaLabor & employmentFamily & divorceReal estate & contractsPersonal injury
English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Russian, and up to 20 total
Free
Free, and open to all foreigners regardless of visa status, including undocumented. Connects you to a licensed Korean attorney through a three-way interpreted call. The best free English-language legal route. Weekdays 9am-10pm (English and Chinese until 10pm, other languages until 6pm).
Korea Legal Aid Corporation (KLAC)
대한법률구조공단
Family & divorceLabor & employmentReal estate & contractsCriminalPersonal injury
Korean
Free
Free or low-cost representation by licensed lawyers for those below 125% of median income; foreigners qualify on the same basis as citizens. Consultations are primarily in Korean, so bring an interpreter or use the 1345 route for English. Best when you need actual representation, not just advice.
Seoul Global Center, free legal counseling
서울글로벌센터
Jongno-gu, Seoul
Immigration & visaLabor & employmentFamily & divorceReal estate & contracts
English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Russian, and more
Free
Free for any foreigner in Seoul. Lawyers and labor attorneys hold weekday consultations at 38 Jongno, Jongno-gu; reservations are recommended. General counseling runs in 13 languages.
Danuri Multicultural Family Helpline
다누리콜센터
Family & divorceImmigration & visa
Korean, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Russian, Japanese, Thai, Khmer, Mongolian, Uzbek, Nepali, Lao
Free
Free, 24/7, 13 languages. For multicultural families and marriage migrants (F-6 and related), with links to legal advisors and emergency support. Best for family disputes, domestic violence, and marriage-visa issues.
Korea Family Welfare Legal Counseling Center
한국가정법률상담소
Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul
Family & divorce
Korean, English
Free
Free in-person English consultations every Monday, 6-8pm, for family-law matters (divorce, custody, domestic violence). A long-running NGO. Confirm whether your session is with a licensed lawyer when you book.
Private firms and attorneys
8 listedFee-based firms that serve individual foreign clients and have a confirmed Korean-licensed attorney. Practice-area tags show what each handles for individuals.
Pureum Law Office
Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Immigration & visaFamily & divorceCriminalBusiness & corporateReal estate & contractsPersonal injury
English, Korean
Korean-licensed attorney
Led by a Korean-Bar-certified attorney; also has a Pyeongtaek office. One of the most-referenced English-language immigration and family practices for individual foreign clients.
Seoul Law Group
Seocho-gu, Seoul
Family & divorceCriminalReal estate & contracts
English, Korean
Korean-licensed attorney
Principal attorney is on several embassy recommended-attorney lists (US, UK, German, Australian) and the Seoul Bar International Committee. Strong on family, criminal, and contract disputes for individuals.
Kang & Shin Law Firm
Seocho-gu, Seoul
Immigration & visaFamily & divorceCriminalLabor & employmentReal estate & contractsBusiness & corporate
English, Korean, Japanese
Korean-licensed attorney
One partner is admitted to both the Korean and California Bars; the other holds Korean Bar specialist certifications in criminal and civil law. An English-first practice built for individual foreign residents.
Majung Law Firm
법무법인 마중
Jongno-gu, Seoul
Immigration & visaCriminalFamily & divorceLabor & employmentReal estate & contracts
English, Korean, Chinese, Japanese
Korean-licensed attorney
A larger firm with branches in Daejeon, Busan, Daegu, and Gwangju. Strong in immigration, criminal defense, and labor cases for E-9 and migrant workers. Good when you need coverage outside Seoul.
Lee & Lee Law Firm
Seocho-gu, Seoul
Family & divorceCriminalBusiness & corporate
English, Korean
Korean-licensed attorney
The lead attorney holds Korean and Seoul Bar membership with certified-specialist status in family and criminal law. A personal-scale firm that suits individual family and criminal matters.
Chung & Partners (Ask Korea Law)
Seocho-gu, Seoul
Immigration & visaFamily & divorceCriminalLabor & employmentReal estate & contracts
English, Korean
Korean-licensed attorney
Led by a Korean-and-Seoul-Bar attorney (Seoul National University and the Judicial Research and Training Institute), explicitly focused on foreign clients. Also runs a large free English-language Korean-law resource.
Kim & Associates
Yeongtong-gu, Suwon
Immigration & visaFamily & divorce
English, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Russian
Korean-licensed attorney
A Korean-Bar-certified visa and immigration specialist, based in Suwon (good for Gyeonggi-do residents). Unusually wide language coverage including Vietnamese and Russian; focused on F-4, H-2, and naturalization.
Lin Law Firm
Seocho-gu, Seoul
Business & corporateLabor & employmentReal estate & contractsTax
English, Korean
Korean-licensed attorney
A larger full-service firm. Best for business disputes, corporate matters, and labor cases for E-7 and professional-visa holders, rather than individual visa or family work.