Who this decision is for
- A project sponsor or developer outside Korea who needs to announce a project to Korean stakeholders and interested investors in clear Korean.
- A corporate communications manager preparing a Korean-language update for partners, lenders or local officials about an overseas project.
- An investor relations lead deciding which materials should exist in Korean and which should stay English-only for now.
- A project marketing team that has been asked for Korean materials and is unsure which statements are safe to publish.
The decision to make
The decision is the scope and discipline of what you say. A project announcement can describe the project, the sponsor, the stage, the timetable assumptions and how to ask questions. It should not suggest that any return, profit or outcome is expected or assured. Decide upfront what factual statements you are able to support, which must be reviewed by counsel, and which should be omitted from public Korean pages entirely.
The trade-off is transparency against risk. Korean stakeholders respond to clear, consistent, respectful information, and vague or promotional writing reduces trust. Yet the more you say, the more you must verify and keep updated. A useful rule is to publish facts you can source, mark items that are plans as plans, and route every question about financial terms to a person who can answer within the rules, not to marketing.
Options compared
| Option | Best when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Factual Korean project announcement page | You need a single public reference for stakeholders describing the project, sponsor, stage and contact route. | Every statement needs a source and an owner; stale stage information damages credibility. |
| Periodic stakeholder update series in Korean | The project has milestones and partners or local stakeholders expect regular, consistent information. | Requires a reliable schedule and approval route; missed updates create more concern than none. |
| Restricted Korean briefing materials for named parties | Information is only appropriate for identified counterparties, not the general public. | Access rules and disclosure limits must be set by counsel; SWIN handles wording and formatting, not permissions. |
Risks to manage
- Implied return promises. Words about profit, yield or safe outcomes can be read as promises. Keep language factual, avoid forward-looking claims, and have qualified counsel review before publication.
- Regulatory exposure. Investment-related communications can be regulated differently across jurisdictions. Confirm applicable rules with qualified Korean and home-country advisers; SWIN does not provide legal advice.
- Inconsistent messages. Different teams describing the project differently confuses stakeholders. Maintain one approved fact sheet and a Korean glossary so every channel matches.
- Unanswered questions. Public announcements draw questions. Decide who answers, what may be said, and when to decline, so replies are consistent and do not stray beyond approved facts.
Evidence to gather first
- An approved project fact sheet listing sponsor, location, stage and what is planned, with each item marked as fact, plan or assumption.
- A list of stakeholder groups such as partners, local officials, lenders and prospective investors, and what each needs to know.
- Written guidance from your counsel on what may and may not be said publicly or to named parties in Korea.
- The approval chain for public statements and the name of the person who owns Korean questions afterward.
Recommended process
- Fact and audience sorting. SWIN works with the client to sort statements into verified fact, plan and omit, and identify stakeholder groups. The client supplies the fact sheet and counsel's guidance.
- Korean drafting. SWIN drafts the announcement in natural Korean with a neutral, factual tone, adding English back-translation so approvers can read exactly what will be published.
- Advisory review. The client's legal and financial advisers review the Korean text. SWIN revises wording and keeps a version record of what was approved.
- Publication and routing. SWIN publishes the page or update and sets up the question route so inquiries reach the right responder, with search visibility configured.
- Update rhythm. SWIN and the client agree an update schedule and re-run the fact check before each new Korean announcement.
What SWIN can deliver
- A sorted statement list separating verified fact, plan and omitted claims.
- Korean announcement or update drafts with English back-translation for approval.
- A short Korean style note that bans return-implying language for this project.
- A question-routing note naming who answers which type of stakeholder inquiry.
- A version log recording each approved Korean statement and its approver.