Debt Collection
For foreign residents in Korea · Pyeongtaek
Being owed money in a country you did not grow up in adds a particular kind of doubt. You are not sure which steps are normal here, whether chasing it will cost more than the debt, or whether the person simply stops answering once they realise you are unfamiliar with the system.
The useful question is not "can I sue" — usually you can. It is whether there is anything at the end of it worth collecting, and what the cheapest route to that point looks like.
That question is answerable early, and it decides everything after it.
Is this you?
If any of these apply, this page is for you.
- A personal loan has not been repaid and contact has gone quiet
- Invoices for goods or services remain unpaid
- A business partner or client owes you money and keeps postponing
- A deposit or advance has not been returned
- You already have a judgment and still have not been paid
- You are being pursued for a debt you believe you do not owe
How the process works
Find where your case is now.
Assessing the debt
What proves the debt exists, whether the limitation period still allows a claim, and what is realistically known about the other side.
What you can do at this stage — Collect transfer records, contracts, invoices, and messages. Where there is a risk assets will be moved, provisional attachment can be considered at this point.
Demand and payment order
A formal written demand often produces payment or a repayment arrangement. Where the debt is not genuinely disputed, a payment order is faster and cheaper than a lawsuit.
What you can do at this stage — Send the demand or apply for a payment order. If it goes unopposed, it becomes final without a trial.
Litigation
Where the debt is disputed, the claim is filed and argued in the ordinary way.
What you can do at this stage — Submit evidence of the debt, and negotiate through the court where settlement serves you better.
Enforcement
This is where money actually moves. Assets are identified and attached — bank accounts, wages, property.
What you can do at this stage — Apply for asset disclosure and asset searches, register the debtor as a defaulter where appropriate, and attach what is found.
Enforcement is the part that determines whether you were repaid or merely proved right. It should be planned from the beginning, not discovered at the end.
What We Will Tell You Honestly
- Whether the debtor has assets worth pursuing — because a judgment you can't enforce is just paper.
- What enforcement in Korea realistically costs and how long it takes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know whether the debtor has anything to take?
Usually you do not, not before judgment. The procedures for compelling disclosure of assets are only available once you hold one. That is the main reason we talk about the goal of the case first — recovery now, or a judgment you can enforce whenever their position changes.
Is it worth pursuing a small debt?
Sometimes it is not, and we will say so. Where it is, the route is usually the pre-litigation one — a demand or a payment order — rather than a full lawsuit. The cost difference is significant.
How long does recovery take?
An unopposed payment order can conclude in weeks. A disputed case runs to months or longer, and enforcement adds time after that. We will give you the likely shape of it once we see the case.
I already have a judgment from a court. What now?
Then you are at the enforcement stage, and the work is finding and attaching assets rather than proving the debt. Bring the judgment and we will tell you which enforcement routes are open.
Can I recover a debt owed by someone who has left Korea?
It becomes harder and depends on where they and their assets are. This is worth assessing honestly before spending money on it, which is what the consultation is for.
Can I just get a consultation and decide later?
Yes. You are not committing to anything by booking one. Plenty of people book an assessment, find out where they stand, and decide to do nothing — sometimes with our agreement. Knowing your position first is the point.
Fees for this area
We tell you the cost from the start.
Retainer from ₩3,000,000
Figures shown are exclusive of VAT.
It depends on the amount claimed and how difficult the debt is to prove. The exact figure is quoted after we review your case, and it does not grow while the case is running.
Pre-litigation routes such as a payment order generally cost less. If the realistic prospect of recovery does not justify the spend, we will tell you that instead of taking the case.
See full fee informationGuides in this area
Someone Owes You Money in Korea
Recovering a debt in Korea: the demand-to-enforcement sequence, court-ordered asset disclosure under oath, bank and registry searches, the defaulters' list, and the fraud question.
Reviewed 2026-08
Provisional Attachment (가압류)
How a Korean provisional attachment freezes bank accounts and property before judgment — requirements, security deposits, the 2-week execution window, and how to respond if you're frozen.
Reviewed 2026-09
Enforcing a Judgment (강제집행)
How compulsory execution works in Korea: the enforceable title, seizing bank accounts and wages, collection vs. assignment orders, real-estate auctions, and debtor protections.
Reviewed 2026-09
Discuss Your Case
Consultation with the Attorney
60 minutes · ₩150,000 (approx. US$110), VAT included
If the consultation ends within 30 minutes, you pay only ₩100,000 (approx. US$70).
We review the facts and your documents, then tell you the legal issues and how we would approach them. The same fee whichever language you speak, Korean or English — conducted by the attorney who would actually handle your case, not by staff, and not through an interpreter.
The same fees are published on our Korean-language site.
This page provides general information only and is not legal advice. Outcomes depend on the specific facts of each case. No attorney–client relationship is created by viewing this page or submitting an inquiry.