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Country-pair applicability

Republic of Korea and the 1980 Hague Convention: country by country

Republic of Korea is a Contracting Party (in force 2013-03-01, Accession). The 1980 Convention is in force between Republic of Korea and 66 other Contracting Parties, and not in force with 35 (no Article 38 acceptance on record). This is computed from the verified HCCH acceptance data, as of 2026-07-26. It tells you whether the treaty operates for a pair — always confirm your exact case with a qualified lawyer or the official HCCH acceptance table, and note the Convention does not cover a removal that happened before it entered into force for both States.

Verified 2026-07-05·102 other Contracting Parties·Use the interactive checker →

Convention is in force (66)

The 1980 Convention operates between these two States — a return application can be made under it (subject, as always, to the facts of your case).

Andorraaccession Argentinaratification Armeniaaccession Australiaratification Austriaratification Belarusaccession Belgiumratification Belizeaccession Bosnia and Herzegovinaratification Brazilaccession Bulgariaaccession Canadaratification Chileaccession Colombiaaccession Croatiaratification Cyprusaccession Czechiaratification Denmarkratification Dominican Republicaccession Ecuadoraccession El Salvadoraccession Estoniaaccession Finlandratification Franceratification Gabonaccession Georgiaaccession Germanyratification Greeceratification Hungaryaccession Icelandaccession Irelandratification Israelratification Italyratification Japanratification Latviaaccession Lithuaniaaccession Luxembourgratification Maltaaccession Mexicoaccession Monacoaccession Montenegroratification Netherlands (Kingdom of the)ratification New Zealandaccession Nicaraguaaccession Norwayratification Paraguayaccession Peruaccession Polandaccession Portugalratification Republic of Moldovaaccession Romaniaaccession Russian Federationaccession Serbiaratification Seychellesaccession Slovakiaratification Sloveniaaccession South Africaaccession Spainratification Swedenratification Switzerlandratification Ukraineaccession United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Irelandratification United States of Americaratification Uruguayaccession Uzbekistanaccession Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)ratification

Convention is NOT in force between these States (35)

One side joined by accession and the other has not accepted that accession, so under Article 38 the 1980 Convention does not operate between them — a return application under it would be rejected, and a different legal route is needed.

Albaniaaccession Bahamasaccession Barbadosaccession Bolivia (Plurinational State of)accession Botswanaaccession Burkina Fasoaccession Cabo Verdeaccession Costa Ricaaccession Cubaaccession Fijiaccession Guatemalaaccession Guineaaccession Guyanaaccession Hondurasaccession Iraqaccession Jamaicaaccession Kazakhstanaccession Lesothoaccession Mauritiusaccession Moroccoaccession North Macedoniaratification Pakistanaccession Panamaaccession Philippinesaccession Saint Kitts and Nevisaccession San Marinoaccession Singaporeaccession Sri Lankaaccession Thailandaccession Trinidad and Tobagoaccession Tunisiaaccession Türkiyeratification Turkmenistanaccession Zambiaaccession Zimbabweaccession

Special case — China (1)

Applies only to Hong Kong SAR / Macao SAR, not mainland China. Where in China matters decisively.

China (People's Republic of)ratification
In-force status is computed from the official HCCH Article 38 acceptance table (as of 2026-07-26); acceptances can change, so re-check the HCCH source. This is general information, not legal advice — whether the Convention helps in your specific case also depends on facts a lawyer must assess (habitual residence, custody rights, and whether the removal happened after the Convention entered into force for both States). Not affiliated with the HCCH.