If Korean Police Contact You: Your Rights Card

Save or print this page. It summarizes the rights a suspect has under Korean law during questioning or arrest, with Korean sentences you can show to the officer.

Your rights

You may stay silent. You can refuse to answer any or all questions, and investigators must tell you this before questioning begins.
You may have a lawyer. You can consult a lawyer and request that the lawyer be present during questioning.
You may ask for an interpreter. If you cannot communicate adequately in Korean, ask for interpretation before you answer anything.
You may ask that your embassy or consulate be informed. As a foreign national under arrest or detention, you can request consular notification and contact.
You may review the record before signing. The statement is written in Korean. You can have it read or interpreted to you, request corrections, and state an objection. Do not sign a record you believe is inaccurate.
If your phone or devices are seized, you can ask to see the warrant and to take part in the selection and copying of data.

If you are arrested

After an arrest, investigators must either apply for a detention warrant within 48 hours or release you.
Before deciding on detention, a judge holds a hearing. If you have no lawyer, the court appoints one for that hearing.
Your lawyer or family must be notified of the arrest.

Avoid these mistakes

Do not guess when you do not understand a question. Say that you do not understand.
Do not contact the complainant or witnesses yourself, even to apologize. Ask a lawyer first.
Do not delete messages, photos or apps. It can be treated as a risk of destroying evidence and weigh in favor of detention.
Do not sign a settlement, statement or document you cannot read.

Korean phrases to show the officer

English한국어

I will not answer until I speak with a lawyer.변호사와 상담한 후에 진술하겠습니다.

I request an interpreter. My language is ______.통역인을 요청합니다. 제 언어는 ______입니다.

Please notify my embassy (consulate).저희 나라 대사관(영사관)에 통보해 주십시오.

I want to read the record and request corrections before signing.서명하기 전에 조서를 확인하고 수정을 요청하겠습니다.

Please show me the warrant.영장을 보여 주십시오.

I want to participate in the selection of data from my phone.휴대전화 정보 선별 절차에 참여하겠습니다.

I want to call my lawyer.변호사에게 연락하겠습니다.

Write down

My lawyer's name

Phone or email

My embassy phone

Case or receipt number

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to answer Korean police questions?

No. A suspect has the right to refuse to answer, in whole or in part. Whether staying silent is wise in your case is a strategic decision best made with a lawyer.

Can a lawyer sit with me during a Korean police interview?

Yes. You can request that your lawyer be present during questioning. The answers must still be yours.

Will the police tell my embassy?

You can ask that your embassy or consulate be notified. Some bilateral agreements set additional notification rules, so ask the investigator to confirm.

Does an arrest mean I will be detained for a long time?

Not necessarily. Within 48 hours the investigators must apply for a detention warrant or release you, and a judge decides whether detention is justified after a hearing.

Questioned or summoned by police in Korea? Attorney Doyun Lee (KBA-certified criminal law specialist) can prepare you for the interview and attend it in English.

Email your case summary

dylee@newlawyer.co.kr

Korean criminal law glossary →

General legal information as of October 2026, not legal advice for your specific case. Attorney advertising — Attorney Doyun Lee, Newlawyer Law Office, Seoul.