🇰🇷 South Korea · Lawyer
From KRW 114M / yr (≈$79K USD) by industry
Mean salary — KRW 114M / yr (≈$79K USD).
KRW 114M / yr (≈$79K USD)
💰 Pay spread — by industry / specialty
The mean is the headline; the spread is what matters.
200,000,000 KRW
M&A / Capital Markets (Big Law)
Kim & Chang / Lee & Ko / Shin & Kim — top compensation from day one
🟢 Tier 1 — KOSIS Wage Structure Basic Statistics Survey 2023
130,000,000 KRW
Litigation
Corporate vs general litigation
🟢 Tier 1 — KOSIS Wage Structure Basic Statistics Survey 2023
120,000,000 KRW
In-house counsel (large corp)
Samsung / Hyundai / SK legal teams
🟢 Tier 1 — KOSIS Wage Structure Basic Statistics Survey 2023
80,000,000 KRW
Public-interest / Government
Public-interest lawyers / former prosecutors
🟢 Tier 1 — KOSIS Wage Structure Basic Statistics Survey 2023
🗺️ The path — stage by stage
- 1. Undergraduate (LEET prep) (4 yr) — Major-agnostic, GPA + LEET
- 2. Law school (3 yr) — Schools with 95%+ Bar pass rate preferred
- 3. Bar exam (— yr) — MCQ + case-style + record-style
- 4. 6-month traineeship (— yr) — Law firm / Prosecutor / Court
- 5. Associate (5+ yr) — Firm / in-house / solo choice
📝 Licensing exam
Korean Bar Exam
Take after 3-yr law school. 6-month traineeship after passing.
🏛️ Top schools
| School | Location | Notable |
|---|---|---|
| Seoul National University Law School | Gwanak-gu, Seoul | Traditional powerhouse |
| Korea University Law School | Seongbuk-gu, Seoul | Top private |
| Yonsei University Law School | Seodaemun-gu, Seoul | Top private |
| Sungkyunkwan University Law School | Jongno-gu, Seoul | Rising powerhouse |
| Hanyang University Law School | Seongdong-gu, Seoul | Strong in industry sectors |
🟠 Tier 3 — context only
🩺 Apprenticeship / Residency
6-month traineeship
6 months at law firm / prosecutor / court after Bar pass. Grants independent case authority.
💵 Specialties — same title, different number
| Specialty / Industry | Mean / yr | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| M&A / Capital Markets (Big Law) | 200,000,000 KRW | Kim & Chang / Lee & Ko / Shin & Kim — top compensation from day one |
| Litigation | 130,000,000 KRW | Corporate vs general litigation |
| In-house counsel (large corp) | 120,000,000 KRW | Samsung / Hyundai / SK legal teams |
| Public-interest / Government | 80,000,000 KRW | Public-interest lawyers / former prosecutors |
| Solo practice | 100,000,000 KRW | High income variance |
🏢 Employer types — base vs total comp
Big Law (top 4)
Base + bonus. Partner track
Mid-tier / boutique firms
Specialty depth
In-house counsel
Stability + work-life balance
Solo / shared practice
Variable income, high autonomy
📈 Income across years
Associate — 1~3 yr
80,000,000 KRW
1~3 yr
Senior — 5 yr
120,000,000 KRW
5 yr
10 yr / partner promotion
200,000,000 KRW
10 yr
Partner (equity)
350,000,000 KRW
15+ yr
📚 Go deeper
Four sub-pages — gift, vision, path, history.