One of the most common and widely recognized business licenses in Korea is the Mail Order (통신판매업) license—often referred to as the e-commerce license. Below is a concise explanation of what it covers and who needs it.
What are mail-order sales?
In Korea, mail-order sales are transactions where a business sells products or provides sales information via mail, telecommunications, advertising materials, magazines, or other remote channels. These typically involve non–face-to-face payments (e.g., money orders, postal substitutes, Giro payments, or bank transfers). A mail-order license legally authorizes a business to conduct such remote sales.
Which businesses require a mail-order license?
Any business engaged in the activities above must obtain a mail-order license, whether an individual enterprise or a corporation.
However, transactions conducted over the telephone—where the seller solicits a consumer’s response and concludes a contract—are considered telemarketing sales and require a separate telemarketing license. In particular, online sellers planning to sell on their own website and/or open marketplaces (e.g., Coupang, Naver Smart Store) must complete this registration, as it grants the legal authorization to list products for sale.
What does the mail-order license indicate about the business?
Holding a mail-order business license generally indicates that a business engages in online or remote sales. While it often suggests the business operates its own website or store, this is not mandatory. Because a large share of Korean businesses—especially corporations—hold this license, by itself it reveals little about the actual activity or standing of the business.