Laws in South Korea
How South Korea is classified on 38 of the 48 laws this site maps, grouped by subject. Each links to the full answer and its source.
Body & Life
- Abortion
- Legal on request Abortion is available on request, subject to a gestational limit.
- Euthanasia
- Passive only Passive euthanasia is legal, while active euthanasia remains illegal in South Korea.
- Suicide Laws
- Not a crime
- Surrogacy
- Unregulated Surrogacy was mostly unregulated in South Korea as of the mid-2010s, though commercial aspects became illegal.
Money & Games
- Gambling Age
- 19–20 Minimum age to gamble: 19.
- Cryptocurrency
- Legal Cryptocurrency is legal to own and trade.
Daily Life
- Drinking in Public
- Restricted areas/times Public drinking is generally legal, but specific areas like parks and bus stops are designated no-drinking zones.
- Public Smoking Bans
- Comprehensive ban South Korea enforces a complete nationwide ban on smoking in all enclosed public places and workplaces.
- Driving Age
- 18+ Minimum age to drive a car: 19.
- Homeschooling
- Illegal Homeschooling is prohibited.
Animals & Environment
- Fur Farming
- Legal No ban on fur farming.
- Dog Meat
- Slaughter/sale restricted Slaughter and sale are currently legal but will be banned in 2027.
- Plastic Bag Bans
- Banned Lightweight plastic bags are banned nationwide.
Civic & Family
- Voting Age
- 18 The voting age is 18.
- Compulsory Voting
- Voluntary Voting is voluntary.
- Minimum Working Age
- 14–15 Minimum working age: 15.
Relationships & Sexuality
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Not recognized Same-sex unions have no legal recognition.
- Same-Sex Activity
- Legal Same-sex sexual activity is legal.
- Age of Consent
- 16–17 The age of consent is 16.
- Sex Work
- Illegal Prostitution is illegal, despite the sex trade flourishing and being large.
- Pornography
- Illegal Producing and distributing pornography is a crime, and circulating it online is prohibited; viewing it privately is not prosecuted.
- Divorce
- Legal Divorce is legal and generally available by mutual consent without fault.
- Same-Sex Adoption
- Not permitted Same-sex couples cannot adopt.
- Incest Laws
- Legal between adults
- Marriage Age
- 18+ Minimum marriage age: 19.
Speech & Belief
- Holocaust Denial
- No specific law No specific law against Holocaust denial.
- Flag Desecration
- Criminal offense Desecrating the national flag is a criminal offense under the South Korean Criminal Act.
- Conversion Therapy
- No ban No legal ban on conversion therapy.
Justice & Weapons
- Death Penalty
- Not used in practice Retained in law, but not used for at least ten years.
- Gun Laws
- Highly restrictive / banned Civilians cannot obtain handguns.
- School Corporal Punishment
- Banned All forms of corporal punishment are prohibited nationwide since March 2021.
- Military Conscription
- Active conscription
- Jury Trials
- Limited use / mixed courts Citizen participation trials are available for specific criminal cases but are not the default for all proceedings.
Substances
- Cannabis
- Legal (Medical) Cannabis is legal for medical use only; recreational use remains prohibited.
- Drinking Age
- 18–20 Minimum age to buy alcohol: 19.
- Smoking Age
- 19+ Minimum age to buy tobacco: 19.
- Salvia Divinorum
- Illegal Possession of salvia divinorum is a criminal offence.
- E-Cigarettes
- Legal / lightly regulated E-cigarettes are legal, subject to an age limit.
Nearby countries
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.