Short answer. Yes, and it is not discretionary. Article 180 of the Criminal Procedure Act provides that where a person who does not understand Korean makes a statement, an interpreter must interpret it. The wording is mandatory. Article 221(2) allows investigators to commission interpretation where an investigation requires it, which is the mechanism by which an interpreter is arranged.
What Korean law says
Article 180 reads, in substance: the statement of a person who does not understand the national language shall be interpreted by an interpreter. There is no qualifying condition and no discretion in the verb. Article 181 provides a parallel rule for people with a hearing or speech disability, where an interpreter may be used.
Article 221(2) provides that investigators may commission expert opinion, interpretation or translation where it is necessary for the investigation. That is the practical route by which an interpreter is engaged for a police interview.
Criminal Procedure Act, Articles 180, 181 and 221(2). Act No. 21241, in force from 1 July 2026.
What usually happens in practice
Interpreters are arranged by the investigating office, and for the more common languages this is routine. For less common languages it can take days, which is one legitimate reason to ask for a different interview date rather than proceeding without one.
The quality question is separate from the availability question. Legal interviews use terms that have no clean everyday equivalent, and an interpreter who is fluent in conversation is not automatically fluent in the difference between a suspect and a witness, or between a settlement and a deposit. If you do not understand a question, the correct response is to say that you do not understand it, not to answer approximately. That request goes into the record.
You may also raise interpretation problems at the time rather than afterwards. A statement recorded through a misunderstanding is much harder to unwind once it is signed.
What you should do next
- Say in advance which language you need, and confirm an interpreter is booked before you attend.
- If interpretation is not available on the day, ask to reschedule rather than proceeding.
- Say so immediately if a question or an answer has not come across correctly.
- Read the record with the interpreter before signing, and ask for corrections.
Related
Police interviews in Korea: what to expect
Can I refuse to answer police questions in Korea?
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Written and reviewed by Soobin You, Attorney at YUSU Lawfirm. Former prosecutor. Last legal review: 12 September 2026.