According to Articles 39 of the Copyright Act of South Korea, under the jurisdiction of the Government of the South Korea, all copyrighted works enter the public domain 70 years (30 years before July 1987, 50 years before July 2013) after the death of the creator (there being multiple creators, the creator who dies last). In other words, works of which authors died before 1 January 1963 are in the public domain in South Korea.

However, according to Article 36(1) of the Copyright Act (No. 3916, 1 July 1987), author's economic rights in a work which is first made public in more than 40 years and not exceeding 50 years after his death, shall continue to subsist for a period of 10 years after it is made public. (This applies to works that were in the public domain between July 1987 and July 2013.)

There are exceptional cases. According to Articles 49 of the Copyright Act, author's economic rights are to belong to the state according to provisions of the Civil Law and other laws upon the death of a copyright owner without heir or, in the case of a legal person or organization, upon its dissolution.