Korean Business Data — BRN Validator & Enricher

📰 Featured launch (2026-04-26): Korean Business Data API on dev.to

The first and only English-language tool for Korean business registration data on the global market.

Validate, verify, and enrich Korean Business Registration Numbers (사업자등록번호, BRN) with comprehensive company metadata — region, tax office, industry classification, entity type, and corporate registration details — all returned as clean, structured JSON in English.

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Why This Tool Exists

Every year, thousands of companies expanding into the Korean market face the same frustrating barrier: Korean business data is locked behind a language wall.

• Government registries are entirely in Korean
• No English-language API exists for Korean company verification
• Manual research takes 30+ minutes per company at $25+/company
• Existing tools only work with Korean-language interfaces

This actor solves that problem completely. One API call returns verified Korean business data in English JSON — no Korean language skills required.

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What You Get

For Each Business Registration Number (BRN)

Field	Description	Example
valid	Checksum verification result	true
formatted	Standard BRN format	124-86-62507
regionCode	3-digit tax office region	124
region.province	Province/City (English)	Seoul
region.city	District/Area (English)	Dongdaemun-gu / Jungnang-gu
region.taxOffice	Tax office name (English)	Dongdaemun Tax Office
industry.section	KSIC section code	M
industry.name	Industry name (English)	Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities
industry.entityCategory	Business entity type	Corporate
enrichment.entityType	Detailed entity classification	Corporate Entity (법인사업자)
enrichment.taxOfficeTier	Tax office administrative level	Seoul Metropolitan
enrichment.isSeoulBased	Seoul location flag	true

For Corporate Registration Numbers (법인등록번호)

Field	Description	Example
valid	Checksum verification	true
formatted	Standard format	110111-1234567
registrationOffice	Court name (English)	Seoul Central District Court
serialNumber	Registration serial	123456

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Use Cases

1. Due Diligence & KYC/KYB

Verify Korean business registrations instantly during onboarding. Critical for:

• FinTech companies processing Korean merchant applications
• Banks performing Know Your Business (KYB) checks
• Investment firms doing due diligence on Korean targets

2. B2B Lead Enrichment

Enrich your Korean prospect database with:

• Verified business status and region
• Industry classification for targeting
• Entity type (individual vs corporate)
• Tax office jurisdiction

3. Market Research

Analyze Korean business landscape:

• Map business density by region
• Identify industry distribution patterns
• Segment by entity type (individual/corporate/non-profit)

4. Compliance & Audit

• Bulk-validate Korean vendor BRNs
• Verify business registration authenticity
• Cross-reference corporate registration numbers
• Audit supplier databases

5. Data Pipeline Integration

• Validate Korean BRNs in ETL pipelines
• Enrich CRM records with Korean business metadata
• Automate Korean market data collection

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Quick Start

Basic Validation (1 minute setup)

{
  "mode": "validate_and_enrich",
  "businessNumbers": ["124-86-62507", "211-87-89871"],
  "outputLanguage": "en"
}

Batch Processing (500 numbers)

{
  "mode": "batch_validate",
  "businessNumbers": ["1248662507", "2118789871", "1208147521", ...],
  "batchSize": 100,
  "skipInvalid": true,
  "outputFormat": "csv_ready"
}

Region Analysis

{
  "mode": "region_lookup",
  "businessNumbers": ["124-86-62507"],
  "includeRegionDetails": true,
  "outputLanguage": "both"
}

Industry Classification

{
  "mode": "industry_classify",
  "businessNumbers": ["124-86-62507"],
  "includeIndustryCode": true
}

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Output Examples

Full Enrichment Output

{
  "input": "124-86-62507",
  "valid": true,
  "formatted": "124-86-62507",
  "regionCode": "124",
  "businessTypeCode": "86",
  "serialNumber": "6250",
  "checkDigit": "7",
  "region": {
    "province": "Seoul",
    "city": "Dongdaemun-gu / Jungnang-gu",
    "taxOffice": "Dongdaemun Tax Office",
    "code": "124"
  },
  "industry": {
    "section": "M",
    "name": "Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities",
    "nameEN": "Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities",
    "nameKO": "전문, 과학 및 기술 서비스업",
    "subtype": "Corporate - professional services",
    "entityCategory": "Corporate",
    "ksicSection": "M"
  },
  "enrichment": {
    "entityType": "Corporate Entity (법인사업자)",
    "entityTypeEN": "Corporate Entity",
    "taxOfficeTier": "Seoul Metropolitan",
    "isSeoulBased": true,
    "isMetropolitan": false,
    "isSpecialEntity": false
  }
}

Invalid BRN Output

{
  "input": "000-00-00000",
  "valid": false,
  "error": "체크섬이 일치하지 않습니다.",
  "errorEN": "Checksum verification failed. The number may be invalid or contain a typo."
}

CSV-Ready Output

{
  "input": "124-86-62507",
  "valid": "true",
  "formatted": "124-86-62507",
  "regionCode": "124",
  "businessTypeCode": "86",
  "province": "Seoul",
  "city": "Dongdaemun-gu / Jungnang-gu",
  "taxOffice": "Dongdaemun Tax Office",
  "industrySection": "M",
  "industryName": "Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities"
}

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Integration Guides

Python

from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN")

run_input = {
    "mode": "validate_and_enrich",
    "businessNumbers": ["124-86-62507", "211-87-89871"],
    "outputLanguage": "en",
}

run = client.actor("lazymac/korean-business-data").call(run_input=run_input)

for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(f"{item['formatted']}: {item['region']['province']} - {item['industry']['name']}")

Node.js

const { ApifyClient } = require('apify-client');

const client = new ApifyClient({ token: 'YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN' });

const run = await client.actor('lazymac/korean-business-data').call({
  mode: 'validate_and_enrich',
  businessNumbers: ['124-86-62507', '211-87-89871'],
  outputLanguage: 'en',
});

const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach(item => {
  console.log(`${item.formatted}: ${item.region.province} - ${item.industry.name}`);
});

cURL (via Apify API)

curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/lazymac~korean-business-data/runs" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "mode": "validate_and_enrich",
    "businessNumbers": ["124-86-62507"],
    "outputLanguage": "en"
  }'

Zapier / Make / n8n

Use the Apify integration in your workflow automation tool:

1. Add an "Apify" action step
2. Select actor: lazymac/korean-business-data
3. Configure input with your BRN list
4. Map output fields to your next step

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Korean BRN Structure Explained

A Korean Business Registration Number (사업자등록번호) is a 10-digit number assigned by the National Tax Service (국세청):

XXX - XX - XXXXX
 │     │     │
 │     │     └── Serial number (4 digits) + Check digit (1 digit)
 │     └── Business type code (01-99)
 └── Tax office region code (101-999)

Region Codes

Range	Region
101-189	Seoul Metropolitan
201-289	Metropolitan Cities (Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon, Ulsan, Sejong)
301-399	Gyeonggi Province
401-449	Gangwon Province
451-499	Chungcheongbuk Province
601-659	Chungcheongnam Province
660-699	Jeollabuk Province
700-739	Jeollanam Province
740-799	Gyeongsangbuk Province
801-859	Gyeongsangnam Province
860-869	Jeju Province
901-999	Special (Corporate/Foreign entities)

Business Type Codes

Range	Entity Type
01-79	Individual Business (개인사업자)
80	Non-Profit Organization (비영리법인)
81-99	Corporate Entity (법인사업자)

Checksum Algorithm

The 10th digit is a checksum calculated using weights [1, 3, 7, 1, 3, 7, 1, 3, 5]:

Sum = Σ(digit[i] × weight[i]) for i = 0..8
Sum += floor(digit[8] × 5 / 10)
Check digit = (10 - (Sum mod 10)) mod 10

This actor performs this validation automatically for every number submitted.

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FAQ

Q: Can this verify if a Korean business is currently active?

A: This actor validates the mathematical structure and provides region/industry metadata. To check real-time active/inactive status, you would need to integrate with the Korean NTS (국세청) API, which requires a separate Korean government API key. We plan to add this feature in a future update.

Q: What BRN formats are accepted?

A: Both hyphenated (124-86-62507) and plain digit (1248662507) formats are accepted. The actor normalizes all inputs automatically.

Q: How many BRNs can I process at once?

A: Up to 500 BRNs per run. For larger volumes, you can chain multiple runs using the Apify API.

Q: Is this data from official Korean government sources?

A: The validation algorithm and region code mappings are based on the official Korean National Tax Service (국세청) specification. Industry classifications follow the Korean Standard Industrial Classification (KSIC Rev.10).

Q: Does this work with corporate registration numbers too?

A: Yes! You can validate both Business Registration Numbers (사업자등록번호, 10 digits) and Corporate Registration Numbers (법인등록번호, 13 digits) in the same run.

Q: What language options are available?

A: Output is available in English only, Korean only, or bilingual (both). All region names, tax offices, and industry classifications have full English translations.

Q: Can I export results as CSV?

A: Yes! Set outputFormat to "csv_ready" for flat key-value pairs that export cleanly to CSV/Excel.

Q: Is there a free trial?

A: Apify provides free platform credits for new users. You can test this actor with your own BRNs using your free credits.

Q: How is pricing calculated?

A: Pay-per-event (PPE): you're charged per valid BRN processed. Invalid BRNs are not charged. Check Apify's platform pricing for the exact per-event cost.

Q: Can I use this in my SaaS product?

A: Yes! The Apify API allows full programmatic access. Use the Python, Node.js, or REST API integration to embed Korean BRN validation directly in your product.

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Cost Estimation

Volume	Estimated Cost	Time
10 BRNs	~$0.01	< 1 sec
100 BRNs	~$0.05	< 2 sec
1,000 BRNs	~$0.50	< 10 sec
10,000 BRNs	~$5.00	< 60 sec

Costs are estimates based on Apify platform compute + PPE charges. Actual costs may vary.

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Comparison: Korean Business Data Actor vs Alternatives

Feature	This Actor	Manual Research	Korean Gov Portal	Other Tools
Language	English	Korean only	Korean only	Korean only
Speed	< 1 sec/BRN	30+ min/company	5 min/lookup	Varies
Cost	~$0.001/BRN	$25+/company	Free (but manual)	N/A
Batch processing	✅ 500/run	❌	❌ (one at a time)	Limited
API access	✅ REST + Python + Node	❌	Limited	Varies
Region details	✅ English	❌	✅ Korean only	❌
Industry classification	✅ KSIC	❌	❌	❌
Corporate number validation	✅	❌	✅ Korean only	❌

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Changelog

v1.0.0 (2026-04-17)

• Initial release
• BRN validation with checksum verification
• Corporate registration number validation
• English region name translation (all 60+ tax office jurisdictions)
• KSIC industry classification (21 sections)
• Entity type detection (individual/corporate/non-profit)
• Batch processing up to 500 numbers
• 3 output formats (detailed, summary, CSV-ready)
• Bilingual support (English/Korean/both)
• PPE monetization

Roadmap

• v1.1: Real-time business status check (NTS API integration)
• v1.2: DART corporate filing data
• v1.3: Business address geocoding
• v1.4: Historical registration data

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About

Built by lazymac — specializing in Korean data tools for the global market.

• GitHub: lazymac2x
• Other actors: Apify Store

Have a custom Korean data need? Contact us for custom actor development.

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Keywords: Korean business data, BRN validation, 사업자등록번호, Korean company verification, KYB Korea, Korean tax office, KSIC classification, Korean corporate data API, Korea market research, Korean business registry