.kr Registration

To launch a business website based in South Korea, you need to obtain a .kr domain name. Any individual or business entity having a local presence in the territory can apply for a .kr registration. When .kr was first introduced in 1986, the registration process was carried out via registration agents. Since September 2006, it has become possible to register domain names directly under .kr. (This is currently possible for internationalized domain names only). Applicants are responsible for fees associated with each agency.

The authority that administers the process of .kr registration is NIDA, the National Internet Development Agency of Korea, which is a non-profit organization that was established in 1999 with the intention of building a stable Internet address management system. The Korea Network Information Center (KRNIC) is the authority that allots the name space for the .kr domain. Twelve second-level domains are allotted for specific purposes, one for individuals (pe.kr) and sixteen for regional purposes. Some of the SLDs that are allowed for specific and regional purposes are: co.kr for commercial, ne.kr for network, or.kr for non-commercial, re.kr for research, seoul.kr for Seoul, busan.kr for Busan, incheon.kr: for Incheon, and so forth.

Domain names with the native alphabet of the Korean language, Hangul, can be included in second level domain names. You can choose any domain name, such as a company name, patent and trademark for the third-level domain name. However, some words that are reserved or obscene will not be registered.

Letters from A to Z, numbers 0-9, and hyphens can be included for domain names. The names can contain a minimum of two and a maximum of 17 characters. You can modify the registration record of your domain names through the authorized agency. NIDA has the right to revoke the domain name in circumstances like unpaid fees, or incomplete and incorrect records. The .kr registration services can be accessed through http://www.nic.or.kr/.