Criminal background checks just got a lot harder for foreigners who want to work in South Korea or apply for South Korea visas.
Formerly, any type of Criminal Background Check (including those obtained from the local or state law enforcement agency) would be acceptable for use in South Korea, as it had an apostille certificate. Nowadays, only Criminal History reports obtained from the FBI (with an apostille) will be accepted.
The problem is, FBI Criminal History reports take a lot longer to be generated and issued, and it entails an especially complicated process if the applicant is already abroad.