International Freight Forwarding Business Registration Requirements — 300,000,000 won Capital, 100,000,000 won Guarantee Insurance and Required Documents

Procedure

1. 1. Check whether the business requires registration

   An international freight forwarding business arranges the logistics of import and export cargo at the request of others, in its own name and on its own account, using other parties' logistics facilities and equipment. Registration is required to arrange import and export transport while issuing bills of lading (B/L) or air waybills (AWB) in your own name. Operating without registration is punishable by imprisonment of up to 1 year or a fine of up to 10,000,000 won.

2. 2. Meet the capital and guarantee insurance standards

   A corporation must hold capital of at least 300,000,000 won, and an individual who is not a corporation must hold assessed assets of at least 600,000,000 won. Guarantee insurance of at least 100,000,000 won is also a registration standard. Guarantee insurance is not required if capital (assessed assets for individuals) is 1,000,000,000 won or more, the applicant owns a container yard, has received a payment guarantee of at least 100,000,000 won from a bank, or holds cargo liability insurance of at least 100,000,000 won.

3. 3. Check the representative and officers for disqualification

   Registration is not allowed for a person under adult guardianship or limited guardianship, a person for whom 2 years have not passed since completing a sentence of imprisonment without labor or heavier for violating the Framework Act on Logistics Policy, the Trucking Transport Business Act, the Aviation Business Act, the Aviation Safety Act, the Airport Facilities Act or the Marine Transportation Act, a person under a suspended sentence, a person for whom 2 years have not passed since a fine, or a person for whom 2 years have not passed since registration was revoked. A corporation must check its representative and officers, and foreign representatives or officers prepare documents showing no disqualification under their home country's laws, with an apostille or consular confirmation.

4. 4. Apply for registration with the Mayor or Do Governor

   Submit the application for registration or change registration of an international freight forwarding business to the Mayor or Do Governor, together with documents proving the registration standards and the forms and terms of the bills of lading and air waybills to be issued in your own name. Attached documents must have been issued or prepared within 1 month before the application date, and the fee is 20,000 won per case. The Mayor or Do Governor reviews disqualification and the registration standards and then issues a registration certificate; because receipt and review may be entrusted to a logistics association or similar body, the submission office should be checked with each Mayor or Do Governor.

5. 5. Change registration and the 3-year report after registration

   If the trade name, the name of the representative or officers, the main office location or nationality changes, or capital or assessed assets decrease, apply for change registration within 60 days from the date the reason arose. Every time 3 years have passed since registration, submit a report on the registration standards within 60 days from that point. If you take over the business by transfer, inheritance or merger, report to the Mayor or Do Governor within 30 days from the date of succession.

Required documents

• Application for registration or change registration of an international freight forwarding business
• Documents proving capital of at least 300,000,000 won (assessed assets of at least 600,000,000 won for individuals)
• Guarantee insurance policy of at least 100,000,000 won (if an exemption applies, proof such as a payment guarantee or cargo liability insurance policy)
• Forms and terms of the bills of lading and air waybills to be issued in your own name (in Korean or English)
• Corporate register certificate or copy of resident registration card (if you do not consent to verification through shared administrative information)
• Documents confirming no disqualification for foreign representatives or officers (apostille or consular confirmation)
• Documents proving foreign investment (for foreign-invested companies)
• Letter of authorization (when submitted by an agent)

Fees

Generally in the range of several hundred thousand won to several million won · We provide a quote after consultation, depending on whether the applicant is a corporation or an individual, whether documents for foreign representatives or officers are needed, and whether change registration or the registration standards report is included. Government fees are separate (20,000 won per case for registration or change registration).

See fees and official charges for this service →

Legal basis and review date

• Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 2
• Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 43
• Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 44
• Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 45
• Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 47
• Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 66
• Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 69
• Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 71
• Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 73
• Enforcement Decree of the Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 30-2
• Enforcement Decree of the Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 51
• Enforcement Rule of the Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 5
• Enforcement Rule of the Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 6
• Enforcement Rule of the Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 7
• Enforcement Rule of the Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 7-2
• Enforcement Rule of the Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 8
• Enforcement Rule of the Framework Act on Logistics Policy, Article 15

Checked against the statutes on 2026-10-06

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 you change the trade name, officers or main office location, or your capital decreases, and do not apply for change registration within 60 days, you may face an administrative fine of up to 2,000,000 won.
• If a corporate officer becomes subject to a ground for disqualification, it is a ground for revoking registration, so the officer must be replaced within 3 months from the date the ground arose to avoid revocation.

Frequently asked questions