How to Write Content-Certified Mail and Its Effect — Including Interruption of Extinctive Prescription (Demand Notice)

Procedure

1. 1. Decide the purpose first

   The wording and the attachments differ depending on whether it is a claim for repayment of money, a notice of contract termination, or a demand notice to stop prescription. If the purpose is unclear, the content-certified mail loses its force.

2. 2. Specify the facts and the demand

   Write with facts and figures, not emotion. Set out in separate items when and what was agreed, what was not performed, and what you demand by what date. If you have supporting materials, attach them as a fact confirmation certificate to strengthen the evidentiary value.

3. 3. Prepare 3 copies and send

   Make 3 copies with identical content: one kept by the post office, one for the recipient and one kept by the sender. When the post office accepts it as content-certified mail, the fact of sending and the content are certified. Adding delivery certification also leaves a record that it arrived.

4. 4. Manage the 6 months after the demand notice

   If the demand notice was sent to stop extinctive prescription, a follow-up action such as filing a lawsuit must be taken within 6 months from when the demand notice reaches the other party for the interruption to remain in effect. If you do not know the exact date of delivery, it is safer to count from the date of sending. If this deadline is missed, the effect of the demand notice is lost.

Required documents

• No prescribed submission form (certified content mail has no set application form; the original document and its copies are submitted together at the post office)
• Contracts, transaction records, text messages, emails and other materials that support the claim or notice
• Your identification, and the address of the other party (recipient)
• If needed, a fact confirmation certificate setting out the facts (to strengthen evidentiary value)

Fees

Fees for preparing content-certified mail depend on the complexity of the matter (size of the dispute, attachments and scope of review) and in the market are generally in the range of tens of thousands of won to several hundred thousand won per case. The post office mailing fee is separate and depends on the number of sheets and the number of recipients. We will tell you the exact amount after a consultation, based on the matter.

See fees and official charges for this service →

Legal basis and review date

• Civil Act, Article 168
• Civil Act, Article 174
• Enforcement Rule of the Postal Service Act, Article 25
• Enforcement Rule of the Postal Service Act, Article 48
• Civil Act, Article 111

Checked against the statutes on 2026-10-05

Statutes and public notices change, so each case needs to be checked individually. Statute titles are given in English for reference. The Korean statutes are the authoritative text.

Check these first

• If the demand notice is intended to interrupt prescription, a follow-up action is required within 6 months from when it reaches the other party (it is safer to count from the date of sending).
• Write specifically, with facts and figures. Emotional expressions actually weaken its value as evidence.

Frequently asked questions