How to Apply for Copyright Registration in Korea — 7-Day Processing and the 1-Year Creation Date Rule

Procedure

1. 1. Identify the work and the type of registration

   Choose the category from the classification table, such as literary, musical, artistic, photographic, cinematographic, diagrammatic, compilation or derivative works. Items that are not works, or works not protected such as statutes, court judgments and mere news reports, are grounds for rejection. Copyright registration recording the author and creation date (Copyright Act, Article 53) and registration of changes of rights such as transfer, exclusive publication rights, publishing rights and pledges (Article 54) use different forms, and computer programs have their own form.

2. 2. Prepare the application and statement

   Complete the copyright registration application (Form No. 3) and the copyright registration statement (Form No. 4). Enter the author's real name, nationality and address, the title, type and creation date, and whether and when the work was first published and in which country. For a derivative work add the title and author of the original, for 2 or more right holders their shares, and for a work made for hire the names and dates of birth of those who took part; when filing several works at once, submit 1 application and a statement for each work.

3. 3. Attach a copy of the work and supporting papers

   Attach a copy of the work, or drawings, photographs or an electronic recording medium showing its content. For a program, submit 1 electronic recording medium containing the copy, and if part of it is enough to show creation, an excerpt in the programming language before compiling may be submitted. Add a list (Form No. 19) if there are joint authors or joint heirs, and a consent form where third-party consent is needed, such as an application by a minor.

4. 4. File with the Korea Copyright Commission and pay the fee

   The registration fee per item is 20,000 won online and 30,000 won in person or by mail, 50,000 won and 60,000 won for programs, plus 10,000 won for each item beyond 10. Recipients of basic livelihood benefits, persons of national merit, May 18 Democratization Merit persons and registered persons with disabilities are exempt for up to 10 items a year. A defect corrected on the day of filing does not lead to rejection, and a rejected applicant may file an objection with the Commission within 1 month of the rejection.

5. 5. Receive the certificate and register changes

   Once the Commission records the work in the copyright register it issues a registration certificate, and an English certificate can also be requested. If recorded details change or contain errors, apply for a change or correction registration, and to cancel or restore a registration use Form No. 33. Registered details are published in the registration gazette or online, and anyone may ask to inspect the register or obtain a copy.

Required documents

• Copyright registration application (Enforcement Rule of the Copyright Act, Form No. 3; Form No. 3-2 for programs)
• Copyright registration statement (Enforcement Rule of the Copyright Act, Form No. 4; Form No. 4-2 for programs)
• Copy of the work, or drawings, photographs or an electronic recording medium showing its content
• Documents proving the grounds for registration (where proof is needed, such as a removed family register for an heir)
• List of joint authors or joint heirs (Form No. 19) or list for bulk registration (Form No. 20)
• Proof of third-party consent or permission (such as parental consent for a minor)
• Proof of fee exemption (benefit recipient certificate, copy of national merit registration card or disability registration card)
• Letter of authorization (when filed by an agent)

Fees

Generally from several hundred thousand won to several million won in the industry · We quote after consultation based on the type and number of works, whether it is a program, and whether change-of-rights registration is included. Government fees are separate.

See fees and official charges for this service →

Legal basis and review date

• Copyright Act, Article 7
• Copyright Act, Article 10
• Copyright Act, Article 53
• Copyright Act, Article 54
• Copyright Act, Article 55
• Copyright Act, Article 55-3
• Copyright Act, Article 125
• Copyright Act, Article 136
• Enforcement Decree of the Copyright Act, Article 24
• Enforcement Decree of the Copyright Act, Article 26
• Enforcement Decree of the Copyright Act, Article 28
• Enforcement Rule of the Copyright Act, Article 6
• Enforcement Rule of the Copyright Act, Article 8
• Enforcement Rule of the Copyright Act, Article 9
• Enforcement Rule of the Copyright Act, Article 23
• Enforcement Rule of the Copyright Act, Annex

Checked against the statutes on 2026-10-07

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

• False registration is punishable by up to 3 years in prison or a fine of up to 30,000,000 won, so enter the author, creation date and publication status truthfully.
• If the application does not match the attached copy or statement, it can be rejected, so keep the title, creation date and author name identical on every document.

Frequently asked questions