Property
South Korea — Property: Legal Checks
How to check a Korean property's legal status before buying, per the government legal-information site run by the Ministry of Government Legislation. The page is general guidance, not legally binding.
VerifiedGovernment / official sourceEasy-to-find Living Law Information (Ministry of Government Legislation) - Checking the real estate registerLast reviewed: 2026-10-27
Why this matters
Relocating individuals should be aware of the complexities involved in purchasing or selling property in South Korea to avoid potential pitfalls and financial losses.
Key facts
- The real estate register can be viewed at a registry office, at an unmanned kiosk (full certificates only) or online at the Supreme Court Internet Registry (iros.go.kr), which is available 24/7.
- Each lot or building record has a title section plus Part A (gap-gu), which records ownership changes and restrictions such as seizures, provisional registrations and auction commencement, and Part B (eul-gu), which records mortgages and jeonse rights.
- The register shows only registry information; to check land and building ledgers and land-use plans together the page recommends the comprehensive real estate ledger or certificate.
- Online views show only currently effective matters, so the register should be checked again at each important step.
- Fees are KRW 1,200 for in-person viewing of a record and KRW 1,000 per kiosk or online certificate, and paid online views and certificates expire three months after payment.