Complete Guide to the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea: Legal Aid, Core Functions, and Official Contact Information

Institutional Role Pursuant to Article 26 of the Government Organization Act and the Presidential Decree on the Organization and Staff of the Ministry of Justice and Its Affiliated Agencies, the core functions of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea (Ministry of Justice, Republic of Korea) cover criminal justice, immigration, legal reform, human rights protection, international judicial assistance, and management of legal professions.

Core Functions

1. Criminal Justice and Prosecutorial Supervision: Direct the investigation, prosecution, and execution affairs of prosecution offices nationwide (Supreme Prosecutors' Office and local prosecutors' offices); manage the criminal records system.
2. Immigration and Foreigner Policy: Formulate and implement visa, residence, naturalization, and refugee recognition policies; manage immigration screening and foreigner registration.
3. Legal Reform and Legislative Support: Draft amendments to basic laws such as the Criminal Act, Criminal Procedure Act, Civil Act, and Commercial Act; assess the constitutionality and social impact of laws.
4. Human Rights and Victim Protection: Oversee matters related to the National Human Rights Commission; implement protective measures under the Criminal Victim Protection Act and the Sexual Violence Punishment Act.
5. International Judicial Assistance: Handle extradition, mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, and certification of intercountry adoption; represent Korea in International Criminal Court (ICC) affairs.
6. Lawyer and Legal Profession Management: Oversee qualification certification and discipline for attorneys, judicial scriveners (법무사), and notaries; manage the Korean Bar Association (KBA).
7. Digital Justice and AI Ethics: A new function added in 2025; responsible for establishing standards for AI applications in the judicial field and protecting data privacy.

Official Contact Information

• Headquarters address: 264 Dasom-ro, Sejong Special Self-Governing City (Government Sejong Office Building, Floors 14-17)
• Official website: www.moj.go.kr
• Main switchboard: +82-44-200-2000
• Integrated immigration consultation: 1345 (within Korea)
• Legal consultation/legal aid: 132 (within Korea)
• Email: [email protected] (general inquiries)
• Social media: Twitter @moj_korea, YouTube “법무부” (Ministry of Justice)

Supplementary Notes Affiliated agencies under the Ministry of Justice, such as the prosecution offices (Seocho-gu, Seoul), the Legal Research and Training Institute (Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do), and the Immigration and Foreigner Office (Yangcheon-gu, Seoul), each have separate addresses.

Data Source Chapter 1 of the Ministry of Justice of Korea’s 2026 Business Manual and Article 26 of the Government Organization Act.