Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea

What Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea does

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (대한민국 외교부, MOFA) is the central government ministry responsible for conducting South Korea's foreign policy, diplomatic relations, and international cooperation. Established in 1948 and headquartered in Seoul at 60 Sajik-ro 8-gil, Jongno-gu, the ministry operates a global network of 194 overseas diplomatic missions — including embassies, consulates-general, and representative offices — providing consular services, bilateral engagement, and public-diplomacy programming across every major region.

Its core service portfolio comprises passport issuance and renewal, visa information, overseas travel-safety advisories, apostille and consular authentication, diplomatic archives, and youth/global-citizen programs. Supporting infrastructure includes a 24/7 multilingual consular hotline (seven languages), the Overseas Koreans 365 portal, the Government24 online portal for citizen services, the Electronic Library and Foreign Policy Documentation Center, and specialized cooperation centers covering climate/energy, Latin America, and economic security. The ministry operates the Korea National Diplomatic Academy for training and policy research.

MOFA is funded through the Korean national budget rather than market revenue; consular services such as passport issuance, visa processing, and notarization follow statutory fee schedules set by law. It oversees four wholly-owned affiliated agencies: the Overseas Koreans Agency, KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency, ODA delivery), the Korea Foundation (cultural exchange and Korean-language education), and the Korea-Africa Foundation. The ministry also engages in economic diplomacy — including the annual Korea-Global Fund Procurement Forum supporting Korean bio-pharmaceutical and medical-device exporters — and multilateral participation across the UN, OECD, WTO, APEC, ASEAN, G20, and G7 frameworks. Leadership comprises Minister Cho Hyun, First Vice Minister Park Yoon-joo, and Second Vice Minister Kim Jin-a.

Name

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea

Legal name

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (대한민국 외교부)

Website

https://mofa.go.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (MOFA) conducts South Korea's foreign policy through 194 overseas diplomatic missions, delivering consular services, bilateral diplomacy, economic cooperation, and public-diplomacy programming to Korean citizens, overseas Koreans, and foreign governments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Foreign Affairs and Consular Services

NAICS

International Affairs (92812), National Security and International Affairs (928)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Foreign Governments (8888)

akta.pro primary industry

Diplomatic Missions & Embassies (Bilateral Relations) (BPAIAIAA)

Keywords

• Diplomatic services
• Consular services
• Passport services
• Visa processing
• Foreign policy coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea establishes and carries out South Korea's foreign policy, economic diplomacy, and international cooperation. It provides diplomatic representation through 194 overseas missions, delivers consular services (passport issuance and renewal, visa information, apostille certification, overseas registration), coordinates trade and economic agreements, and protects 7.5 million overseas Koreans including through a 24-hour multilingual emergency hotline. The ministry also operates digital portals (Government24, Overseas Koreans 365, passport.go.kr, 0404.go.kr) for citizen-facing services.

Product overview

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea operates a unified digital platform ecosystem providing citizen-facing consular services, diplomatic information, and international cooperation programs. The core offering is the official MOFA website (外交部 홈페이지) which serves as the central hub, supplemented by specialized portals for passport services (여권), visa information (비자), overseas Koreans services (재외동포365), and safety travel advisories (해외안전여행). Supporting infrastructure includes the 24/7 Consular Safety Call Center with multilingual translation support, the Apostille electronic certification system, the Diplomatic Archives (외교사료관), the Electronic Library (전자도서관), and specialized centers for development cooperation (ODA Korea), climate/energy cooperation, and Latin America cooperation. The ministry also maintains youth engagement programs (지구청년), international organization recruitment services (국제기구인사센터), and diplomatic training through the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (국립외교원).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MOFA Official Website (외교부 홈페이지) Official government portal providing comprehensive consular services, diplomatic news, policy information, and citizen engagement features for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.
• Passport Services (여권 서비스) Online passport issuance, renewal, and application services for Korean citizens, including expanded online renewal for minors under 18.
• Visa Information (비자 서비스) Comprehensive visa entry requirements and application information for international travelers to Korea.
• Overseas Koreans 365 Civil Services Portal (재외동포365민원포털) Online consular services portal for overseas Korean nationals providing civil service applications and document processing.
• Overseas Safety Travel (해외안전여행) Country-specific safety travel information and travel advisories for Korean nationals abroad.
• Consular Safety Call Center (영사안전콜센터) 24-hour emergency consular assistance hotline providing translation services in 7 languages (English, Chinese, Japanese, French, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese) for overseas emergencies.
• Apostille / Electronic Apostille (아포스티유/영사확인) Online apostille certification and consular authentication services for document legalization.
• Global Youth Program (지구청년) Youth overseas advancement support program encouraging young people to become global citizens.
• MOFA Electronic Library (외교부 전자도서관) Digital knowledge platform providing diplomatic activity-related knowledge and information.
• Diplomatic Archives (외교사료관) Scientific and systematic management of diplomatic records and archives.
• Korea National Diplomatic Academy (국립외교원) Training of diplomatic talent and research on national mid-to-long-term diplomatic policies.
• International Organizations Recruitment Center (국제기구인사센터) Support center for career opportunities in international organizations, providing guidance and resources for Korean nationals seeking positions in global bodies.
• Foreign Policy Documentation Center (외교정책자료실) Collection, management, and provision of foreign policy-related materials and documentation.
• ODA Korea (ODA 한국) Official Development Assistance portal providing information on Korea's international development cooperation programs.
• MOFA Climate and Energy Cooperation Center (외교부 기후에너지협력센터) Dedicated center for climate change and clean energy cooperation initiatives.
• MOFA Latin America Cooperation Center (외교부 라틴아메리카 협력센터) Center focused on cooperation and relations with Latin American countries.
• Center for Economic Security and Foreign Affairs (경제안보외교센터) Research and analysis on economic security and foreign affairs diplomacy.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Global FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to help Korean bio-pharmaceutical and medical device companies access the Global Fund's procurement market. The Global Fund is the world's largest health organization combating AIDS and tuberculosis, procuring billions of dollars worth of medical supplies annually for developing countries.
• AzerbaijanminorOthersBilateral relations discussions covering political dialogue, trade, transport, digital development, education, and energy security. Azerbaijan announced new visa-free regime for Korean passport holders.
• Jeju Provincial GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosting of the 21st Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity, marking the first time the forum is co-hosted by both the provincial government and the foreign ministry to raise international profile.
• Korea-Africa FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint hosting of Africa Day 2026 gala event with The Korea Herald and African Group of Ambassadors in Seoul.
• The Korea HeraldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint hosting partner for Africa Day 2026 gala celebrating diplomatic relations with African nations.
• African Group of Ambassadors in SeoulminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosting partner for Africa Day 2026 gala promoting cultural exchange and diplomatic ties with African nations.
• IsraelminorOthersDiplomatic engagement regarding alleged abuse of Korean activists detained by Israeli forces during Gaza blockade passage attempt.
• United Arab Emirates (UAE)minorOthersCoordination regarding attack on Korean-operated vessel HMM Namu near the Strait of Hormuz. UAE waters where the vessel was anchored when attacked.
• Ministry of the Interior and SafetycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on expansion of online passport renewal service to include minors under 18, developed jointly with the Overseas Koreans Agency.
• Overseas Koreans AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on digital services expansion for overseas Koreans including online passport renewal services.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• German Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt): Germany's federal foreign ministry manages bilateral and multilateral foreign policy, EU coordination, and consular services through a worldwide embassy network. Functionally equivalent to MOFA in scope, structure, and constituency.
• Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (France): France's central ministry for foreign and European affairs, operating a large global consular and embassy network. Comparable mandate to Korea's MOFA including visa, passport, and bilateral/multilateral diplomacy.
• Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Australian federal department combining foreign policy, trade promotion, and consular services — overlapping directly with MOFA's mandate, particularly in economic diplomacy and consular support.
• Global Affairs Canada: Canadian federal department handling diplomatic, consular, trade, and international development affairs. Directly comparable to Korea's MOFA for service structure, embassy network, and citizen-services portfolio.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China: China's central foreign affairs ministry and largest single diplomatic service in Asia by scale. Directly comparable peer given its remit over bilateral relations, consular services, and global embassy network.
• Ministry of External Affairs of India: India's central ministry for foreign affairs, diaspora engagement, and bilateral/multilateral diplomacy. Relevant comparison for MOFA given similar emphasis on diaspora services (comparable to Overseas Koreans Agency) and Global South outreach.
• New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade: New Zealand's foreign policy and trade ministry with global embassy and consular coverage. Functionally aligned with Korea's MOFA in combining foreign policy with trade and development assistance.
• U.S. Department of State: The U.S. federal department responsible for U.S. foreign policy and international diplomacy, operating the largest global embassy and consulate network. Directly comparable to Korea's MOFA in mandate (bilateral relations, consular services, treaty negotiation) and structure.
• United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: UK cabinet department responsible for foreign policy, overseas development assistance, and consular affairs. Comparable to MOFA across full diplomatic-services, consular-protection, and ODA mandate (KOICA-equivalent functions folded inside).
• Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Japan's central ministry for foreign policy with global embassy and consular coverage. Closest institutional peer to Korea's MOFA given shared Northeast Asia orientation, U.S. alliance, history of bilateral tensions (including Dokdo/Takeshima), and similar consular scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mofa_kr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MOFAKorea
• Facebookfacebook.com/mofakr.kr
• Instagraminstagram.com/mofa_kr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea