If you are a Singaporean founder planning to start a company in Korea, you have more trade agreements to work with than most: a bilateral Korea–Singapore FTA, the Korea–ASEAN FTA and a Korea–Singapore Digital Partnership Agreement are all in force. This page lists the official contacts and the practical path to a startup visa and support programs in Korea.
Key contacts
| Contact | Official website |
|---|---|
| Korean mission: Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Singapore | https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/sg-en/index.do (English version); Korean version: https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/sg-ko/index.do |
| Singaporean mission in Korea: Embassy of the Republic of Singapore in Seoul | https://seoul.mfa.gov.sg/ |
| KOTRA Korea Business Center in Singapore | Singapore: https://www.kotra.or.kr/singapore (pages in Korean) |
The Korean embassy listed above handles visa applications and consular questions for people in Singapore. KOTRA’s Korea Business Center mainly supports trade and investment between Korea and Singapore, so it is a useful contact if your business plan involves importing, exporting or investment.
Trade and tax
Trade agreements
Korea’s official FTA portal lists the bilateral Korea–Singapore FTA, the Korea–ASEAN FTA and the Korea–Singapore Digital Partnership Agreement (DPA) as in force. The DPA is especially relevant if your startup sells digital services or handles cross-border data. Source: Korea FTA portal – status of Korea’s FTAs.
Double tax treaty
A Korea–Singapore double tax treaty is in force: it was signed on 6 November 1979 and entered into force on 11 February 1981. A new agreement replacing the earlier convention was signed on 13 May 2019 and took effect on 31 December 2019. 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 Singapore 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 Singapore listed above, as requirements can change.
Sources
- Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Singapore – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea
- Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Singapore (Korean version)
- Embassy of the Republic of Singapore in Seoul
- KOTRA Singapore 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 Singapore
No country-specific updates yet. New programs for founders from Singapore will appear here automatically. Meanwhile, start with our visa guides and government programs.