D-8 vs D-9 Visa — Investor/Founder vs Trade Representative: Which Business Visa Do You Need?

No. If you are establishing and running your own Korean company, D-9 is not appropriate — D-9 requires employment by an overseas entity. Founders with limited capital should look at D-8-4 (tech startup visa), which does not require ₩100M but requires qualifying startup credentials such as an approved patent, government incubator enrollment, or OASIS program participation.

Yes, if managing a branch or representative office of the overseas company. However, you are doing so as a representative of the overseas employer, not as an independent Korean entity. If you want to hire aggressively and build a Korean company independently, D-8-1 with a proper Korean incorporation is more appropriate.

Yes. A 연락사무소 (liaison/representative office) — registered with the district tax office and the relevant authorities — is a common business structure for D-9 holders. It does not require full incorporation and has lighter administrative requirements. Note: liaison offices cannot engage in revenue-generating activities in Korea; they are for market research, promotion, and coordination only.

D-8-1 is for the foreign investor/founder themselves — you have personally invested ₩100M+ into a Korean company you manage. D-8-2 is for employees sent by the foreign investor company to manage its Korean subsidiary — the parent company holds the qualifying investment, and you are dispatched to oversee Korean operations on its behalf.