THE ART OF BEING LOCAL
IN KOREA
COMPANY FORMATION IN KOREA
The Republic of Korea also known as South Korea (but herein later on referred to as Korea), with a population of 52.3 million people and a land area of 100,210 square kilometers, is one of Asia’s leading industrialized nations. With a GDP per capita of USD 37,672, the country is considered highly developed economically. Particularly noteworthy is its strong export orientation: more than 35% of the GDP comes from exports, reflecting a high dependence on global trade.
The country’s history has been marked by dramatic upheavals: from 1910 to 1945, Korea was under Japanese colonial rule, followed by the devastating Korean War from 1950 to 1953. In the following decades, the country was shaped by authoritarian governments (1961–1987). The Gwangju Massacre in 1980 became a symbol of democratic resistance but it wasn’t until the Seoul Olympics in 1988 that Korea increasingly emerged on the global stage as a democratic and modern nation.
Today, Korea is globally competitive in numerous B2B sectors. The country is especially strong in technology, semiconductors, the automotive industry, batteries, chemicals, steel, and shipbuilding, as well as in fast-growing sectors such as cosmetics, and food.
InterGest Korea is a leading provider of comprehensive accounting, tax and IT solutions in Korea. We serve companies of all sizes by providing operational support through an outsourcing business model. As no two companies are identical, we will provide a customized solution to meet your requirements.
Christoph Heider, Managing Director of InterGest Korea, is a seasoned business leader with extensive experience in Korea, Japan, and Germany. He is Founder and CEO of 10TEN a small consulting company providing advice to foreign and Korean companies operating in or with Korea. From 2013 to 2023, he was President of the European Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ECCK), where he significantly strengthened its role in policy advocacy. Previously, he held senior roles at Bayer, including CFO of Bayer Korea. Christoph holds a Master’s in Business Administration and studied Japanese language and culture in Germany and Japan. He is a founding board member of Munich-based Heider-Kober Foundation. In 2016, he was awarded Honorary Citizenship of Seoul.
Etienne Linck is Director of InterGest Korea, in charge of delivering IT Services for InterGest Korea clients. He also is the General Manager of IT-Concept, an IT services company based in Seoul that specializes in information systems and infrastructure management. With a background from the European Institute of Technology (EPITECH) Etienne leads a team delivering high-trust IT solutions to global clients. In 2025, IT-Concept was honored as “Best French Entrepreneur in Korea” by the French Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), recognizing the team's dedication and excellence.
Woo Jeong Kim serves as Advisor to InterGest Korea in terms of Accounting and Tax services. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with more than a decade of experience working with multi-national companies in a wide range of industries. Woo Jeong’s experience includes working at Deloitte Anjin LLC and Korean Air. Besides being in charge of Finance & Accounting services at InterGest Korea, he is also Partner at WITH Accounting.
