When conducting sales via telephone in Korea, a key business license to consider is the Telemarketing (전화권유판매업) license. Below is a concise explanation of what it covers and who needs it.
What are telemarketing sales?
Telemarketing sales involve selling goods or services by using telephone calls to solicit consumers or to induce them to return a call. A telemarketing license legally authorizes a business to conduct such sales.
Which businesses require a telemarketing license?
Any business that establishes, manages, or operates a telephone solicitation sales organization must obtain this license—whether an individual or a corporation. Even if a business is already registered for other activities, it must separately file a telemarketing sales registration with the Fair Trade Commission (FTC).
Telemarketing sales are regulated under the Act on Door-to-Door Sales, which differs from the Act on Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce governing distance sales. The key distinction is whether the consumer had an initial intent to purchase, or whether the purchase was prompted by the salesperson’s solicitation. Telemarketing actively drives purchases, while phone-based distance sales primarily provide product information.
What does the telemarketing license indicate about the business?
Holding a telemarketing license legitimizes a company’s outbound calling activities, and the registration details may be publicly disclosed by the FTC or relevant local authorities.
Coverage in KOBDi: The KOBDi database includes all businesses registered with a Telemarketing (전화권유판매업) license. This information appears on each Business Profile page, and companies with this license can be found via the KOBDi Korea Industry Search.