Replies to This Discussion | 이 토론에 대한 답글들

Permalink Reply by Kent Wong on June 29, 2010 at 1:34pm

What's your desired location? Gangbuk or Gangnam? Yeouido?

One of my clients has a simple (but very nice) office in the SC First Bank Building in Gwanghwamun. My client shares the cost of a secretary/receptionist and conference room with several other tenants.

Not too sure about the cost, but I could inquire.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ben Plantan on June 30, 2010 at 12:08am

Kent,

Thanks so much for the reply! I'm not fixed on a specific location so long as it is relatively convenient overall (in other words in one of the business office districts and not out by Kimpo airport or something). Could I trouble you to inquire with your client? I'm trying to draft a budget for setting this up sometime later this year perhaps and some shared space in a nice building sounds exactly like what I'm looking for.

Thanks again!
Ben

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Young Ham on June 30, 2010 at 11:26am

Hi Ben. My clients are using one of these.
I think those are undoubtedly the prestigious ones in Seoul, and
something you're looking for.
What Kent mentioned is regus below.

www.pivotoffice.com/english
www.en.regus-kr.com
www.vertexkorea.com
www.executivecentre.com

Young

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ben Plantan on June 30, 2010 at 12:10pm

Thank you so much! This is incredibly helpful!

All the best,
Ben

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steven S. Bammel on June 30, 2010 at 9:31pm

Have you listened to Young Ham's interview yet?

http://www.koreabusinesscentral.com/forum/topics/korea-business-cen...

It doesn't answer your question directly, but if you're setting up in Seoul, this is absolutely a must listen interview; it's packed with useful information.

I'm out in Ansan and it's hard to describe my office as "classy" so I'm afraid I don't know what the market is for offices in Seoul.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ben Plantan on June 30, 2010 at 9:46pm

Steven,

I hadn't listened to the interview yet, but I see in your link that there is a transcript, so I'll read through it now. Thank you!

For now, the space I'm looking for just needs to have 2-3 offices, reception, and a conference room -- essentially, space for a small team to work out of in Seoul satellite to Europe and to meet with investors, etc in the city while the operations/engineers/etc are in the field elsewhere in the country.

It seems like the easiest and most flexible solution all around is one of these "serviced offices" -- and they aren't quite as expensive I as initially expected.

Thanks again,
Ben

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Don Southerton on July 1, 2010 at 5:59am

I agree with Yoiung Ham on options for rentals. As we know status is important, which in Korea is strongly tied to location.( That's one reason why Kent quizzed you on location). Some of the top hotels also have Executive Floors which offer services, but can be pricey. These work well while you find an office.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ben Plantan on July 1, 2010 at 6:04am

Thanks, Don. I've thus far been using the Executive Floor of the Millennium Hilton by Namsan and it's worked out just fine and probably will continue to for the next six months or so, but it's not a long-term solution.

All the best,
Ben

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Vernon Phillips on December 30, 2011 at 11:29am

Here is a list of small business centers throughout Korea. It's in Korean, but you can click on the map to find locations and contact info quite easily.

http://ideabiz.or.kr/bizcenter.do?cmd=ListCenterCompare

This is where to find the lowest priced offices, usually between 1 and 4 people per unit. They usually have shared conference rooms for meeting clients.

My experience with the little business centers is to go in and check them out in person. Some are very good and some are dirty. Tahoe business centers have contracts in English. I'm currently located at the Prime Business Center near city hall (http://primebc.co.kr/), with an English contract and the secretary speaks excellent English. My first unit, a 1 person desk in Gangnam, cost 450,000 won per month + 10% VAT. If you're company is registered you get the VAT back. Deposit is usually 2 months of rent.

For an individual starting a corporation (which I have done) it must be at a registered address with a contract either directly with the building owner or with one of these special business centers.

Vernon

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Vernon Phillips on December 30, 2011 at 11:44am

Make sure when you get your contract to also get the Korean version filled out and stamped as well.

You must have their (business center's) official seal on the contracts. If you have a corporation you must also use your corporation's seal.

The contract must also clearly state the monthly rent rate, the area of office, and the deposit amount. These details are required when registering at the tax office, otherwise they may refuse to updated your registered address.

You should sign 6 contracts, 3 in English and 3 in Korean. You keep 2 English originals and 2 Korean originals, 1 English and 1 Korean original is left with the landlord / business center. When you go to the tax office and gu office to do further registrations they often need to keep an original signed copy of the contract, and they usually only accept the Korean version.

With a registered corporation you must update your address at both the tax office and the local court registry office. And at the bank. It's one of those processes where you have to visit each place two or three times with various version of the paper work. Always bring every official document related to your company, including bank book, personal seal, and corporate seal.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Vernon Phillips on December 30, 2011 at 11:49am

At the court registry office, make sure to get new copies of:

1. Registered seal certificate (for corporation) 인감증명서 (5 copies)
2. Registered address certificate 등기사항전부증명서 (5 copies)

At the tax office get your new:

1. Company registration document (sole proprietors too) 사업자등록증 (1 copy)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steven S. Bammel on January 3, 2012 at 9:08am

Vernon - This is really valuable information. Thanks for sharing it!

How's business? And I'm curious if you've gotten much support from the Seoul Global Business Support Center and how helpful that's been.

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous | 이전
• 1
• 2
• Next | 다음 ›
• Page