OBS_VALUE: As from 2016, notwithstanding general prohibition for foreign legal consultants to to employ any Korean attorney-at-law, a joint venture law firm may hire attorneys-at-law. However, foreign participant of a joint venture could be only an entity duly established under statutes of a contracting party to a free trade agreement. Therefore, permission to hire local lawyers is granted only when an FTA exists, and in all other cases prohibition to hire local lawyers remains in force. 