Insights

Practical knowledge for foreign companies in Korea.

From the FieldJul 2026

The treaty says 15%, so why am I told to withhold 16.5%?

You saw 15% in the tax treaty and set out to withhold it, only to be told the figure is 16.5%. You did not misread the rate table. There is one more tax the treaty cannot lower.

From the FieldJul 2026

Get the treaty rate right and you're done? From 2026, one step has quietly been added to withholding

If your company pays interest, dividends, royalties, or similar income abroad and has been withholding at the treaty-reduced rate, from 2026 there is now one more document to file with the tax office. The rate has not changed, but the procedure has.

From the FieldJun 2026

You've Been Zero-Rating Your Overseas Services. What Happens If You Get Paid in Crypto?

You have been zero-rating your overseas services. Get paid in crypto, and that 0% can collapse. The dividing line is where the service was performed.

From the FieldJun 2026

Do I Charge Korean VAT When Billing an Overseas Customer?

"Overseas customer = 0% VAT"? Not automatically. The conditions for zero-rating, from a real case.