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Key takeaways
- Korea's foreign bribery act can make companies liable for intermediaries' bribes without due care and supervision.
- Documented checks on Indian agents, distributors and JV partners are the core safeguard.
- We report in English, with a Korean overview page for head offices.
Why companies from here use us
- Korean groups and their tier-1 and tier-2 suppliers keep adding Indian vendors, distributors and joint-venture partners.
- Head offices in Seoul want documented, verifiable findings, not just a recommendation.
- India is three and a half hours behind Korea — mornings in India overlap with afternoons in Seoul.
Your home-country rules — and what they mean for an Indian partner
- Korea’s foreign bribery law: enacted in 1998 to implement the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, it criminalises bribing foreign public officials. A company can be liable for bribery by its intermediaries unless it exercised due care and supervision, and Korean authorities treat a genuine, operating compliance programme as relevant when assessing a company’s culpability. Recent cases show enforcement through third parties.
- What that means in India: documented checks on Indian agents, distributors, customs brokers and JV partners — who owns them, whether they deal with government bodies, and how they are paid. See promoter background checks and India’s own anti-bribery law.
The India side
- The India–Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has applied since 1 January 2010.
- 한국어 안내: 인도 실사·법인 설립 지원.
- Setting up a plant: manufacturing in Gujarat · start small with an India Company Check (USD 249).
What we check for you in India
- Identity, registrations and filed financial statements of the Indian partner — how it works.
- Financial, tax and FEMA review; related parties; litigation through public records and counsel.
- Promoters, directors, government links and how intermediaries are paid — for your anti-bribery and supply-chain files.
- Premises visits from Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Rajkot or Dubai, with a written report in English.
- Full scope: partner due diligence · investment due diligence · supplier verification.
We are Chartered Accountants, not lawyers: home-country legal advice on compliance programmes stays with your counsel. Our reports are built to slot into their files.
Sources
- World Bank STAR — Foreign bribery frameworks self-assessment: South Korea
- Global Law Experts — Anti-corruption compliance in South Korea
- BKL — Legal update on the Korean Foreign Bribery Act (2026)
Frequently asked questions
Who can do due diligence on an Indian company for a Korean company?
CA Durgesh Chavda's team checks Indian partners, suppliers and targets for Korean companies — records, financials, tax, FEMA, ownership, promoters and premises — and reports in English, with a Korean-language overview page.
Does Korea's foreign bribery law apply to bribery by Indian agents?
Korea's foreign bribery act can make a company liable for bribes paid by its intermediaries to foreign officials unless it exercised due care and supervision — so documented due diligence on Indian agents and partners is an important safeguard.
Is there a trade agreement between India and Korea?
Yes. The India–Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement has applied since 1 January 2010.