Who owns what in a marriage in South Korea?
In South Korea each spouse owns their own property, and on divorce the court divides the property acquired during the marriage according to each spouse's contribution.
Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
What applies by default
Property in one spouse's name is theirs. Property of unclear ownership is presumed to be shared.
When the marriage ends in divorce
A spouse may claim a share of property built up during the marriage, and the court decides according to each spouse's contribution, including household work.
A marriage contract
A marriage property contract is allowed, and it must be registered to bind third parties.
What stays your own, and gifts
Property from before the marriage and inheritances are generally outside the division.
If one spouse is a foreigner
Korea has its own rules on which country's law applies to the property of foreign spouses.
Understand the legal system first
South Korea belongs to the Civil law family. Family law grows out of the legal tradition, so it helps to know how the system works.
Read the South Korea legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Can a foreigner buy property in South Korea? →
Official sources
Take it further
The family and property rules of a European country in one PDF, with questions for a local lawyer.
Set the property rules before the marriage, in your own terms.
For couples who live together without marrying.
Marriage, divorce, custody and support, step by step.
Divide property and settle the terms in writing.
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TheLawToKnow Tools’s marital property guide 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.
