Key compliance facts
Standard
e-Sero XML (NTS schema)
Authority
NTS — National Tax Service (국세청)
Mandatory For
All Korean corporations; individual business operators with annual revenue above KRW 80 million
Effective Date
Jan 1, 2011 (corporations pilot) · Jan 1, 2012 (all corporations mandatory) · 2012–2023 (individual businesses by threshold)
About South Korea E-Invoicing
South Korea's e-Tax Invoice (전자세금계산서, jeonja segeum gyesan seo) system, managed by the National Tax Service (NTS), requires businesses to issue electronic tax invoices through the NTS e-Sero platform or via certified private ASPs (Application Service Providers). Invoices must be transmitted to NTS within one day of issuance. The system has been mandatory for all corporations since 2012 and has been progressively extended to individual business operators based on annual revenue thresholds. Korea is one of the world's most advanced e-invoicing markets.
Implementation Phases
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Corporate Pilot
Jan 1, 2011e-Tax Invoice available for all corporations on a voluntary pilot basis.
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All Corporations Mandatory
Jan 1, 2012Mandatory for all corporations to issue e-Tax Invoices via NTS e-Sero or certified ASP.
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Individual Businesses (>KRW 1B)
Jul 1, 2012Extended to individual business operators with annual revenue above KRW 1 billion.
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Threshold Lowered to KRW 80M
Jul 1, 2023Individual business operators with revenue above KRW 80 million must issue e-Tax Invoices.
Key Compliance Facts
- e-Tax Invoices must be transmitted to NTS within one business day of issuance
- NTS e-Sero is the free government platform; private ASPs are also certified
- Unique invoice number assigned per document; NTS validates in real time
- Input VAT deduction requires receipt of a valid e-Tax Invoice
- Penalties for late or non-submission include surcharges of 0.5% per invoice
- South Korea is an official Peppol authority
Frequently Asked Questions
Is e-invoicing mandatory in South Korea?
All Korean corporations; individual business operators with annual revenue above KRW 80 million. Status: Live & Mandatory.
Which authority regulates e-invoicing in South Korea?
NTS — National Tax Service (국세청)
What e-invoicing standard does South Korea use?
e-Sero XML (NTS schema)
What is the e-invoicing model in South Korea?
Clearance via NTS e-Tax Invoice
When did South Korea e-invoicing take effect?
Jan 1, 2011 (corporations pilot) · Jan 1, 2012 (all corporations mandatory) · 2012–2023 (individual businesses by threshold)