Can a foreigner buy property in South Korea?

Foreigners may buy on much the same terms as citizens

South Korea lets foreigners buy property, with a duty to report the purchase. Permission is needed only for land in protected zones such as military and ecological areas.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Rules change. This page describes the structure of the rule, not prices, taxes or quotas. Confirm the current position with the official source listed below, and with a lawyer in the country, before you pay anything. This is general information, not legal advice.

Land

Foreigners may own land. A foreigner who acquires land must report it to the local authority.

Houses and flats

Houses and apartments can be bought, with the same reporting duty.

Buying through a company

A foreign company or a company controlled by foreigners is treated as foreign under the law.

Limits and closed zones

Land in military facility zones, cultural heritage zones and ecosystem protection zones needs prior permission.

What to watch for

The reporting duty has a deadline, and a failure to report can lead to a fine. Take advice on it before the purchase.

Understand the legal system first

South Korea belongs to the Civil law family. Property is registered and transferred differently in different traditions, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the South Korea legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
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Official sources

Korea Law Translation Center

TheLawToKnow Tools’s guide to foreign property ownership is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.