South Korea is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, yet fax remains a firmly established part of business and institutional communication. The coexistence of cutting-edge digital infrastructure with widespread fax usage reflects a broader pattern in East Asian economies where institutional tradition, regulatory frameworks, and the practical demands of document verification sustain fax alongside newer technologies.
Government administration is a major driver of fax usage in South Korea. Central ministries, district offices (gu-cheong), the National Tax Service, courts, and immigration offices maintain active fax lines for receiving official documents, applications, and correspondence. Korean administrative culture places significant emphasis on formal, documented communication, and fax fits naturally into workflows where stamped or signed originals must be transmitted quickly between offices. Citizens and businesses navigating Korean bureaucracy -- whether for tax filings, permit applications, or legal proceedings -- routinely encounter fax as a standard submission channel. While the government's digital transformation efforts under initiatives like Digital Platform Government have expanded online services considerably, fax remains embedded in many institutional processes, particularly those involving inter-agency communication and legacy systems.
The legal and judicial sector reinforces fax's role. Korean law firms, courts, and prosecutors' offices use fax for contracts, court filings, legal notices, and official correspondence. The transmission report serves as proof of delivery, which remains important for deadline-sensitive submissions. Notaries, patent attorneys, and judicial scriveners also rely on fax for document exchange where a verifiable record of transmission is expected.
Healthcare contributes to sustained fax usage as well. Hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies use fax for patient records, referrals, prescriptions, and insurance documentation. South Korea's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) imposes strict requirements on the handling and transmission of personal data, including health information, and fax provides a familiar point-to-point channel with built-in delivery confirmation. While the country's advanced health IT systems -- including the national health insurance infrastructure -- have digitised much of the sector, fax continues to play a supporting role in day-to-day clinical and administrative workflows.
Financial institutions and the corporate sector round out the picture. Banks, insurance companies, and securities firms use fax for account documents, claims, and compliance-related correspondence. South Korea's export-oriented manufacturing sector -- including electronics, automotive, shipbuilding, and steel -- also maintains fax for purchase orders, invoices, and contract exchanges with domestic and international partners.
For anyone sending a fax to South Korea, the country code is +82, and the leading zero of the area code must be dropped when dialling internationally. For example, a Seoul number beginning with 02 becomes +82 2 followed by the local number. For detailed formatting instructions, see our guide on how to send an international fax online.
JustFax Online makes it easy to send a fax to South Korea from anywhere in the world. Upload your document -- PDF, PNG, JPEG, or TIFF -- enter the Korean fax number with the country code +82, and send. No account, no subscription, no app required. You pay a flat rate for the first four pages, with additional pages priced separately. If delivery fails after all retry attempts, you are not charged. To get started, see our step-by-step guide to sending a fax online.