South Korea (KR)

Authority: KARIC (Korean Higher Education Information Center — karic.kr) is the primary information centre for recognition of foreign higher education qualifications in Korea. Individual universities handle their own admission recognition. For employment purposes, employers make their own assessments of foreign degrees.

Process: For further study admission: apply directly to the Korean university; they evaluate foreign transcripts in-house. For professional licensing: the relevant ministry or board evaluates foreign credentials as part of the licensing process. For immigration (D-8, E-7 visas): submit apostilled degree and certified Korean translation directly to the employer and immigration office. KARIC provides information and consultation on how foreign qualifications compare to the Korean system.

Equivalency service: KARIC (karic.kr) — Korean Higher Education Information Center — provides free consultation and information on recognition of foreign higher-education qualifications. No single universal evaluation system for all degrees; the receiving authority (university, employer, or professional body) makes the final determination. For most immigration purposes, apostilled degree and certified translation are sufficient.

Apostille: South Korea became the 90th contracting state to the Hague Apostille Convention in 2006. Documents from Hague-member countries must bear an apostille issued by the competent authority in the issuing country. Apostilled documents are directly accepted by Korean authorities without additional legalisation.

Legalisation: For documents from non-Hague countries: full consular legalisation chain required — authentication by home country Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then by the Republic of Korea Embassy or Consulate in that country.

Sworn translation: Documents not in Korean or English may need certified Korean translation. Translations must typically be by a Korean-certified translator (법원 통역인 등록 court-certified interpreter or translator accepted by the receiving body). For immigration and professional licensing: check specific requirements with the relevant ministry or Hi Korea immigration desk.