South Korea’s economy has grown tremendously over the past few decades, driving a surge in demand for accounting and bookkeeping services, especially for international startups. Managing finances and filing tax forms in a foreign country can be daunting, especially with a language barrier.
For foreign startups having offices in South Korea, navigating the complexities of tax and accounting rules can be challenging. Many licensed accountants in Korea rely on English translators, which can lead to misunderstandings and confusion.
Also, finding a certified tax professional who speaks fluent English is often difficult. This communication barrier can make it challenging for foreign startups to resolve complicated tax issues and cause frustration and stress among the founders.
Fortunately, several English-speaking accounting and bookkeeping firms in South Korea are located throughout Seoul. These firms have invested in upgrading their capabilities and services, with a particular emphasis on catering to the needs of foreign clients.
These firms are well-equipped to handle the complexities of managing finances in a foreign country and provide expert guidance to their startup clients every step of the way. Many of these firms employ English-speaking professionals who are well-versed in Korean tax laws and regulations and can advise everything from tax planning and compliance to bookkeeping and payroll services.
These companies have a track record of providing clients with high-quality services. They are staffed by experienced professionals dedicated to helping global startups navigate the complexities of managing finances in a foreign country. We list the top ten go-to accounting and bookkeeping destinations if you are an expat living in South Korea and need assistance managing your finances or filing tax forms.
1.) ARA TAX | Seochu-gu, Seoul
ARA TAX is a team of Korean Certified Tax Accountants (CTAs) who are fluent in English and specialize in providing tax and accounting services to foreigners living in South Korea. Their mission is to educate and empower foreigners and global corporations about everything related to Korea’s taxes and accounting rules. By providing tailored solutions to their clients, ARA TAX offers ongoing support to ensure their clients feel comfortable and knowledgeable about their tax and accounting responsibilities in Korea.
ARA TAX provides various services, including bookkeeping, payroll and withholding taxes, corporate income taxes, and individual income taxes. They also offer ad-hoc tax advising and consulting services for any client. Their goal is to help startups build and expand their businesses in Korea by freeing them from the burden of managing complicated tax issues.
With ARA TAX, global startups operating in South Korea can directly communicate with certified tax professionals who speak fluent English, providing peace of mind and a clear understanding of their tax and accounting responsibilities. Additionally, their commitment to community outreach and tax education ensures their clients are up-to-date with Korea’s latest tax and accounting rules and developments.
2.) THECL Accounting Corporation | Seocho-gu, Seoul
THECL Accounting Firm is a leading accounting and CPA firm in South Korea, with over 40 professionals operating out of four offices in Seoul. As a registered member of the Korean Institute of Certified Public
THECL provides a comprehensive range of solutions, including audits, taxes, M&A consulting, and business process outsourcing (BPO).
THECL’s International Tax and Outsourcing Services (ITOS) team specializes in providing international tax and accounting services to foreign firms operating in South Korea. Their expertise can help overseas companies navigate the complex tax and accounting rules in Korea, making it easier for startups of all sizes to establish themselves in the country.
THECL is a one-stop source for the best CPA Korea solutions and resources.
3.) Calibre Business Advisory | Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul
Founded in 2012, Calibre is a specialized accounting and business advising organization with offices in Sydney, Australia, and Seoul, South Korea.
Calibre strives to offer business and tax advice that meets the needs of each unique business by maintaining a regular dialogue and involvement with customers. One of Calibre’s specializations is assisting foreign companies in establishing operations in Korea, and vice versa, helping Korean businesses expand their services to Australia. Calibre’s personnel is entirely bilingual.
Appointments can be booked at their office in Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo-gu neighborhood via phone, email, or the website’s contact form.
4.) SAMDO Accounting Firm | Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Samdo Accounting Firm primarily provides affordable, skilled English services for foreign-invested enterprises in Korea. Samdo shows their appreciation for their customers by assisting them in achieving their company goals by utilizing the information and insights gained through their experiences.
To comply with numerous legal requirements and regulations, doing business in Korea requires a large number of professional services. With Samdo, a company’s core competencies receive all its attention and resources as it handles all the other non-core tasks like payroll, audits, tax returns, and bookkeeping.
5.) Deloitte Korea | Youngdeungpo-gu, Seoul
Deloitte Korea or Deloitte Anjin LLC is the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited member firm in Korea. Deloitte, whose clientele is spread over more than 150 countries worldwide, can be described using phrases that reflect our heterogeneous mix of linguistic and ethnological backgrounds.
There are apparent reasons why clients prefer Deloitte Anjin over other companies in the market. Deloitte Anjin is a member company of DTTL. As the leading accounting firm in the country for the past 30 years, Deloitte Anjin has continued to show stable development every year. Additionally, Deloitte Consulting is still a powerful brand in strategic consulting.
The 2,300 professionals at Deloitte Anjin strive to move beyond the “Frontier Mindset.” Each year, Deloitte Anjin devotes 60 hours to professional development. Our professionalism in business, technology, leadership, and high-quality client services are based on this. Deloitte has assigned LCSPs to manage its customer Portfolio, which comprises necessary strategic customer groups or to quickly respond to changing client needs.
By using Deloitte’s worldwide network systems to communicate with customers effectively, staying in touch with industry leaders, and making the most of the company’s strengths and resources, LCSPs will play a crucial role.
6.) Ernst & Young Han Young | Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul
In Korea, many English-speaking professionals can help foreigners with various financial services. The Korean division of Ernst & Young is called EY Han Young. Their primary services include transaction, assurance, tax, and consulting. They provide consultancy services for transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances, carve-outs, stock issues, and restructuring. They offer a wide range of specialized services too.
7.) Samjong KPMG | Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Samjong KPMG is the KPMG office in Korea. A multidisciplinary company, Samjong KPMG offers complete services in the fields of management, accounting, and business advice services. They offer customary services like audit, assurance, tax, and counseling, as well as more specialized ones like helping corporations restructure and start new businesses.
Samjong provides its clients with a wide range of services and is a part of the Global KPMG Network. Through KPMG’s Global Network, more than 4,000 professionals at Samjong KPMG collaborate with 236,000 specialists in 144 nations. Samjong KPMG has divided its system into specialized industry-specific and service-specific teams to serve clients better and give the most remarkable expert services.
8.) Samil PWC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) | Yongsan-gu, Seoul
The Korean affiliate of PricewaterhouseCoopers is called Samil PricewaterhouseCoopers. More than 3,600 motivated professionals are constantly prepared to offer creative solutions that allow their clients to obtain competitive advantages in precarious situations.
For more than 51 years, PWC has offered public, commercial, and governmental clients industry-focused assurance, consultancy, and tax services. Customers in the public, private, and public sectors can depend on Samil PWC for innovative and dependable services. PWC has a vast network of businesses spread over 152 countries, and they collectively have almost 328,000 people’s worth of experience.
Four simple Lines of Service are used to group their service offerings: Audit and Assurance, Tax, Transaction Business, and S&CC. (Sustainability and Climate Change). In Seoul, a distinct division caters to international businesses, and the tax accountants working there are fluent in English.
9.) Klemsen Consulting | Yongin-si, Gyeonggi
The Korean branch of Tax Uncomplicated’s American headquarters, Klemsen Consulting, specializes in U.S. federal and state taxes for foreign clients operating from South Korea. Various service packages are available, all of which are intended to simplify tax preparation and filing. It will be considerably simpler for foreign clients to prepare and file their taxes with the help of a range of service packages.
10.) Osung Accounting Corporation | Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Osung Accounting Corporation is an accounting business in South Korea that works with international clients. They provide services such as business creation, bookkeeping, payroll management, tax declaration, commercial law reporting, and clearance and recovery procedures.
The accounting firm has adjusted its services to meet the specific needs of foreign enterprises conducting business in Korea and to meet customer needs.
According to Osung Accounting Corporation, an experienced professional’s level of customer service is based on how effectively they comprehend their client’s needs and add value by providing appropriate solutions. And one of the most critical steps to guaranteeing sound business growth is choosing the correct accounting and business consultancy firm.
Since 2007, Osung Accounting Corporation, which specializes in BPO services and company registration, has maintained tight relationships with foreign-invested enterprises and local subsidiaries of multinational corporations. To meet the different demands of international clients, the business also offers audit, tax advisory, financial counseling, and foreign language services (Chinese, English, and Japanese).
