South KoreaWhat is the spousal inheritance deduction?
The spousal inheritance deduction in South Korea is a tax exemption that allows a surviving spouse to deduct up to ₩500 million from the taxable inheritance amount, reducing or eliminating inheritance tax liability.
What the Law Says
South Korean inheritance tax law provides a special deduction for surviving spouses to promote family stability and fairness in wealth transfer.
Under the Inheritance Tax and Gift Tax Act, a surviving spouse is entitled to a deduction from the total taxable inheritance amount. This deduction is applied before calculating the final tax liability.
The deduction is not a percentage but a fixed monetary amount — currently set at ₩500 million — and applies regardless of the size of the estate, as long as the spouse is a legal heir and inherits directly.
This deduction is available only to the surviving spouse who is registered in the family registry (hoju system) and is not disqualified due to abandonment, divorce, or other statutory exclusions.
Statutory TextA surviving spouse may deduct an amount not exceeding 500 million won from the value of inherited property when calculating the taxable price.
— Inheritance Tax and Gift Tax Act, s. 16 — Deduction for Surviving Spouse
What to Do
Confirm legal marital status and registration in the family registry (hojeok) at time of inheritance.
File the inheritance tax return within 6 months of the decedent’s death (extendable to 3 years for certain cases involving overseas assets or complex estates).
Submit supporting documents: family registry, death certificate, inheritance agreement, and asset valuation reports.
Apply the ₩500 million spousal deduction on Form 101 (Inheritance Tax Return) under 'Deductions for Surviving Spouse'.
Pay any remaining tax due by the filing deadline; late payment incurs penalties of up to 20% of unpaid tax.
Sources
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JapanNot legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.