Living in Korea, explained properly.
Visas, banking, phone plans, taxes and housing — written for people who actually have to do it, and sourced from the published criteria.
Buying a Car in Korea as a Foreigner: New, Used and Registration
How to buy a car in Korea as a foreign resident — new or used, what you need to register it, mandatory insurance, and the practical steps from purchase to plates.
buy car in korean — Read guideWhat's in this guide
- Foreign residents with an Alien Registration Card can buy and register a car in Korea, new or used, on the same basis as Korean residents.
- Registration runs through the local registration office and needs your ARC, passport, proof of insurance and the seller's documents — used cars also need the transfer of the previous registration.
- Mandatory automotive insurance is required before registration, and premiums are priced per driver, so compare quotes before buying.
Recently updated
- Living
Kindergarten in Korea for Foreign Families: Ages, Types and Enrolment
How kindergarten works in Korea for foreign families — the age range, public vs private kindergartens, the Nuri curriculum, and how enrolment and fees work.
- Visa
Re-Entry Permits in Korea: Do You Need One to Leave and Come Back?
When foreign residents in Korea need a re-entry permit to leave and return, how to get one on Hi Korea, single vs multiple, and what happens if you travel without it.
- Living
TOPIK in Korea: Test Structure, Levels, and What It Is Used For
The TOPIK Korean proficiency test — the two tests and six levels, where and when it is held, and why your score matters for visas, citizenship, university admission and jobs in Korea.
- Living
Car Insurance in Korea for Foreigners: What Is Mandatory and How to Buy It
Car insurance in Korea — the mandatory liability cover, how premiums are set, what foreign residents need to buy it, and why comparing quotes matters.
- Visa
Visiting the Korea Immigration Office: Services, Appointments and Documents
What the immigration office in Korea handles — alien registration, visa extensions and status changes — how to book an appointment on Hi Korea, and what to bring.
- Visa
Starting a Business in Korea as a Foreigner: Company Setup, Registration and the D-8 Visa
What it takes to start a business in Korea as a foreigner — the D-8 investor/startup visa, incorporating a company, business registration and the practical steps to operate legally.
- Living
Childcare in Korea for Foreign Families: Daycare, Kindergartens and Fee Support
How childcare works in Korea for foreign families — enrolling a child in daycare or kindergarten, the difference between public and private centres, and the fee support that Seoul and Gyeonggi offer for foreign children.
- Banking
Insurance in Korea for Foreigners: NHI, Car Insurance and Private Cover
What insurance foreign residents in Korea need and how it works — the national health insurance tied to employment, the mandatory car insurance, and the private health, travel and life cover options.