I'm a foreigner planning to marry my Korean partner?

Registering a marriage to a Korean partner is a two-country process, so plan for both. On the Korean side, you register at your partner's district office (구청) or community center (주민센터) with a marriage report (혼인신고). The key document you as the foreigner need is proof that you are legally free to marry, usually a certificate of no impediment to marriage or a single-status certificate issued by your home country's government, which must be apostilled or consular-legalized and translated into Korean; your passport and sometimes your ARC are also needed, plus two witnesses' details. Your Korean partner provides their family relation and basic certificates.

Once accepted, the marriage is legally registered in Korea fairly quickly, often the same day or within a few days, and it appears on your partner's family records. You should also register the marriage with your own country, typically through your embassy or consulate in Korea or your home country's procedure, so it is recognized back home; each country differs, so check with your embassy. After registration, most foreign spouses apply for the F-6 marriage visa, which lets you live and work freely, and that has its own document set (marriage certificate, proof of the relationship, income, housing, sometimes a basic Korean ability check or interview). The biggest time factor is getting your home country's no-impediment certificate apostilled and translated, so start that early. The 1345 hotline and your partner's district office can confirm the exact current list, which varies slightly by nationality.