Who owns what in a marriage in South Korea?

Each spouse keeps their own property; a court may divide it on divorce

In South Korea each spouse owns their own property, and on divorce the court divides the property acquired during the marriage according to each spouse's contribution.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

The default, not your case. This page describes what applies when a couple sign no contract. Family law changes, and a court can decide differently on the facts of a case. For a couple with a foreign spouse, take advice in each country involved. This is general information, not legal advice.

What applies by default

Property in one spouse's name is theirs. Property of unclear ownership is presumed to be shared.

When the marriage ends in divorce

A spouse may claim a share of property built up during the marriage, and the court decides according to each spouse's contribution, including household work.

A marriage contract

A marriage property contract is allowed, and it must be registered to bind third parties.

What stays your own, and gifts

Property from before the marriage and inheritances are generally outside the division.

If one spouse is a foreigner

Korea has its own rules on which country's law applies to the property of foreign spouses.

Understand the legal system first

South Korea belongs to the Civil law family. Family law grows out of the legal tradition, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the South Korea legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Can a foreigner buy property in South Korea? →

Official sources

Ministry of Justice of Korea

TheLawToKnow Tools’s marital property guide is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.