If you are an Indonesian founder planning to start a company in Korea, the legal and trade framework between the two countries is well developed: Indonesia is covered by the Korea–ASEAN FTA and the bilateral Korea–Indonesia CEPA. Below you will find the official contacts on both sides, the tax treaty status, and the practical path to a startup visa and government support in Korea.
Key contacts
| Contact | Official website |
|---|---|
| Korean mission: Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Indonesia (Jakarta) | https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/id-id/index.do (Indonesian version); Korean version: https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/id-ko/index.do |
| Indonesian mission in Korea: Embassy of Indonesia in Seoul | https://kemlu.go.id/seoul |
| KOTRA Korea Business Centers in Indonesia | Jakarta: https://www.kotra.or.kr/jakarta; Surabaya: https://www.kotra.or.kr/surabaya (pages in Korean) |
The Korean embassy listed above handles visa applications and consular questions for people in Indonesia. KOTRA’s Korea Business Centers mainly support trade and investment between Korea and Indonesia, so they are useful contacts if your business plan involves importing, exporting or investment.
Trade and tax
Trade agreements
Indonesia is a party to the Korea–ASEAN FTA, and the bilateral Korea–Indonesia CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) is also listed as in force on Korea’s official FTA portal. Source: Korea FTA portal – status of Korea’s FTAs.
Double tax treaty
A Korea–Indonesia double tax treaty is in force: it was signed on 10 November 1988 and entered into force on 3 May 1989. The treaty helps prevent the same income, such as salaries, dividends or royalties, from being taxed twice. Source: Korean government list of tax treaties (조세조약 체결 현황), Public Data Portal, as of 20 July 2026.
Your path to starting a business in Korea
- Startup visa (D-8-4) and OASIS: the usual route for founders from Indonesia is the startup visa (D-8-4). It requires a company set up in Korea and a minimum score in the OASIS points system (Overall Assistance for Startup Immigration System), which you build through OASIS courses, IP applications or startup competition awards. See our D-8-4 startup visa and OASIS guide.
- K-Startup Grand Challenge: this government accelerator program is open to founders from any country and offers funding, office space and visa support to selected teams. Read the K-Startup Grand Challenge guide.
- Office space and global startup centers: several public centers in Seoul and other cities offer free or low-cost desks to foreign founders, and some of these spaces can also serve as your business address. See free office space for foreign founders in Korea.
- Government support programs: an overview of the main programs open to foreigners, from mentoring to grants, is in our guide to Korean government startup programs for foreign founders.
- Studying in Korea first: if you are, or plan to be, an international student, you can move from a D-2 student visa to the D-8-4 startup visa. See the international student startup guide (D-2 to D-8-4).
- Check visa details with official offices: before you apply, confirm the current document list with the Korean mission in Indonesia listed above, as requirements can change.
Sources
- Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Indonesia (Jakarta) – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea
- Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Indonesia (Jakarta) (Korean version)
- Embassy of Indonesia in Seoul
- KOTRA Jakarta Korea Business Center
- KOTRA Surabaya Korea Business Center
- Korea FTA portal – status of Korea’s FTAs (발효/서명/협상 현황)
- Korean government list of tax treaties (재정경제부 조세조약 체결 현황), Public Data Portal, as of 20 July 2026
Latest updates for founders from Indonesia
No country-specific updates yet. New programs for founders from Indonesia will appear here automatically. Meanwhile, start with our visa guides and government programs.