Dojang and Electronic Seals in Korea
In Korea, the dojang (도장) — a personal or corporate seal — has traditionally been used to formalize agreements much like a signature elsewhere. Understanding the types of dojang and how electronic signing fits is useful whether you're designing a seal or handling real documents.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules change and apply differently to each situation; consult a qualified professional for your specific case.
The main types of dojang
- Ingam dojang (인감도장) — a registered seal, recorded with a government office. It's used for important legal and financial transactions and is typically paired with a seal certificate (ingam jeungmyeong) that proves the seal is genuine and registered.
- Mak dojang (막도장) — an unregistered, everyday seal for routine purposes like deliveries or casual acknowledgments. It carries no special legal status.
The distinction is registration: an ingam dojang's authority comes from being officially recorded and certifiable, not from the carving itself.
Where electronic signing stands
Korea's Digital Signature Act (and related electronic signature law) provides for electronic signatures to carry legal effect, and the country has a mature digital identity and certificate ecosystem. As elsewhere, an electronic signature is meaningful when it reliably identifies the signer and detects tampering — not simply because it looks like a stamp.
An electronic dojang can be either: a plain image pasted into a document, or a seal bound to a proper electronic signature within a compliant system. Only the latter provides legal assurance. A plain image has no verified identity, no tamper detection, and no audit trail. See electronic seal vs. electronic signature and are image seals legally valid?.
Where this tool fits
The seal generator produces seal graphics for design, mockups, presentations, learning, and lawful personal use. It is not a signing system and does not create legally binding signatures. Use it to design and visualize a dojang; for documents that need legal effect, use a compliant electronic signature service — and never use a generated seal to forge documents or impersonate someone.
Comparing jurisdictions? Company seal requirements by country puts this country next to eleven others in one dated, sourced table.
Sources: Digital Signature Act (Korea Law Information Center, in Korean)
Related guides
- UK Company Seals: Optional Since 2006, Still Used AbroadThe Companies Act 2006 made the common seal optional for UK companies. How a company signs a deed or contract, why stamping a document does not make it a deed, and where a seal still helps.
- US Corporate Seals: Optional by Law, Still in the DrawerNo US state requires a corporate seal, yet embossers still appear on stock certificates and documents sent abroad. What state law says and how to go digital.
- Company Seals in Thailand: Registered With the StateThai law doesn't require a company seal, but once it is registered with the DBD as part of your signing authority it becomes mandatory. How that works.