Essential Business Codes for Freelancers in Korea | Developer Guide 💼

If you’re a freelancer or self-employed developer living in Korea, registering as a sole proprietor is essential for handling taxes, legalizing your income, and ensuring smooth financial operations.

This guide provides a detailed list of frequently used business registration codes in Korea, focusing on freelance developers, content creators, and e-commerce sellers.

📌 You don’t need to register all business codes!

• Choose a primary business code that best fits your main income source.
• Additional codes can be registered later if needed.
• Adding unnecessary codes may trigger tax changes, such as switching from a simplified taxpayer (간이과세자) to a general taxpayer (일반과세자) if your total sales exceed KRW 80M.

📌 Example of Business Codes for My Case

• 940909 (Software Freelancer) → For mentoring, freelance development
• 940306 (Individual Media Content Creator) → For AdSense and YouTube revenue

1. Business Codes for Freelance Developers 💻

📌 Most freelance developer businesses are tax-exempt (면세사업자) but must still file an annual business status report.

🚨 Caution: Business codes starting with 7 are excluded from simplified taxation, meaning they will be taxed under the general VAT scheme.

Code	Business Type	Description
722000	Software Development	Developing and selling paid applications, software outsourcing
722005	Computer Programming Services	IT consulting, software development, and maintenance
724000	Database & Online Information Services	Operating websites and web-based services
743002	Advertising Services	Blog, website, app ads (AdSense, AdMob, AdFit, etc.)
722002	Mobile Game Development	Developing and selling mobile games
722003	Other Game Software Development	Developing PC, console, or handheld games
940909	Software Freelancer	Freelance developer, IT contractor

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2. E-commerce & Online Sales (Smart Stores, SNS Marketplaces, Importing) 🛒

📌 When is business registration required?

• If your revenue exceeds KRW 1.2M within 6 months or
• If your total revenue exceeds KRW 4.4M in the current year or KRW 4.8M in the previous year

🚨 If you don’t meet these criteria, registration is optional.

Code	Business Type	Description
525101	Online Retail	Smart Stores, open markets (Coupang, Naver Smart Store, etc.)
525102	Other Online Sales	Phone, mail orders, TV home shopping
525103	Online Marketplace Intermediary	Online sales brokerage (e.g., Coupang Partners)
525104	SNS Market	Selling products through Instagram, Facebook, or personal blogs
525105	Importing & Reselling	Overseas direct purchasing and reselling services

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3. Individual Media Content Creators (YouTube, Streaming, Blogging) 🎥

📌 Your business code depends on whether you operate alone or as a team.

• If you create all content alone → 940306 (Individual Media Content Creator)
• If you hire employees or rent a dedicated studio → 921505 (Media Content Creation Business)

Code	Business Type	Description
921505	Media Content Creation	YouTubers, streamers, bloggers (if operating a business or team)
940306	Individual Media Content Creator	Content creators working solo, tax-exempt (recommended for AdSense income)

📌 For YouTube AdSense and online ad revenue, 940306 is the best tax-efficient choice!

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4. Key Considerations When Choosing a Business Code ⚠️

✅ Monitor your revenue limits

• Selecting too many business codes can lead to automatic conversion to a general taxpayer (higher taxes) if revenue exceeds KRW 80M.

✅ Confirm Tax-Exempt vs. Taxable Business Codes

• 940306 (Individual Media Content Creator) → Tax-exempt business (preferred for small creators)
• 921505 (Media Content Creation) → Taxable business (higher taxes, suited for larger-scale operations)

✅ Business codes can be updated later

• You can modify or add codes via Hometax anytime after registration.

By choosing the right business code, you can reduce tax burdens and legally operate your freelance business in Korea with ease. 🚀