Investment immigration in South Korea

Korea's investment immigration schemes are run by the Ministry of Justice's Korea Immigration Service under the Immigration Act, with parameters set by Ministry notices. The tourism and resort facility scheme, formerly called real estate investment immigration, began in Jeju in 2010 and now covers designated zones including Jeju and the Songdo, Yeongjong and Cheongna districts of the Incheon Free Economic Zone. Only specified facilities such as resort condominiums, accommodation and tourist complexes qualify, not ordinary apartments. The Jeju threshold doubled to KRW 1 billion in 2023, and in February 2026 Jeju extended the scheme to 31 December 2027, the same end date as Incheon. Funds must come from abroad and the property must be registered before F-2 is granted; F-1 visiting status is available once payments exceed KRW 100 million.

The public business scheme channels foreign capital into designated funds supporting Korean small and medium-sized enterprises. Since 29 June 2023 the general tier requires KRW 1.5 billion for F-2 residence, with F-5 permanent residence after five years; the high-value tier requires KRW 3 billion and grants F-5 immediately on a pledge to hold the investment for five years. The KRW 300 million retiree route was abolished. Under both schemes the investment cannot be sold, leased or pledged during the holding period, and applicants with criminal records, tax arrears or repeated immigration violations are excluded.

F-2 investors may carry on economic activity freely. There is no published day count, but an F-2 holder must return within one year of leaving to keep the status. The spouse and unmarried children receive F-2 with the investor. An individual domiciled in Korea or present for 183 days or more is tax resident; foreigners resident for five years or less in the previous ten are taxed on foreign income only when paid in or remitted to Korea, and on worldwide income thereafter at progressive national rates plus local income tax. Inheritance and gift tax, at up to 50%, should be reviewed before relocating.

F-5 permanent residence removes renewals and most activity restrictions, and under the resort scheme the investor may then sell the property. Citizenship is a separate step: since December 2018, general naturalisation has required permanent residence and five years of residence, plus conduct, means, Korean language and civics requirements. Dual nationality is allowed only in limited categories, such as special merit or outstanding talent, on a pledge not to exercise the foreign nationality in Korea; most investors who naturalise must renounce their original nationality within one year.