🇰🇷 South Korea · Employment & Labor
Hiring rules, employment contracts, payroll, social insurance, and EOR options.
Quick answer
Korean employment is governed by the Labor Standards Act: a national minimum wage set annually, a 52-hour week cap (40 regular plus 12 overtime), 15 days' paid annual leave after a year, and a statutory retirement (severance) allowance of about one month's pay per year of service. The Labor Office and Labor Relations Commission handle disputes.
Employment in Korea is governed by the Labor Standards Act; the Ministry of Employment and Labor oversees working conditions and a national minimum wage.
- The Labor Standards Act sets working hours, leave and dismissal rules.
- A national hourly minimum wage is set each year.
- Employees are enrolled in the four major social insurances.
Step-by-step
- 1
Get a written contract
You must receive a written employment contract stating wages, hours, holidays and leave; a copy must be given to you.
- 2
Know your pay and hours rights
You must receive at least the annual national minimum wage; the working week is capped at 52 hours (40 regular plus up to 12 overtime), with premium overtime pay.
- 3
Understand leave entitlements
You get 15 days' paid annual leave after one year (with monthly leave in the first year), plus public holidays and statutory family/parental leave.
- 4
Register for the four insurances
You are enrolled in the four social insurances (national pension, health, employment and industrial-accident insurance).
- 5
Know severance and termination rules
Employees with a year's service are entitled to a retirement allowance of about one month's average pay per year; dismissal needs justifiable cause and 30 days' notice.
- 6
Resolve disputes with the Labor Office
Raise unpaid-wage or unfair-dismissal issues with the local Labor Office or the Labor Relations Commission.
Checklist
- Written employment contract (copy provided)
- National minimum wage (annual)
- 52-hour cap (40 + 12 overtime) + premium pay
- 15 days' annual leave (after 1 year) + holidays
- Four insurances (pension/health/employment/accident)
- Retirement allowance (~1 month/year) + 30 days notice
- Justifiable-cause dismissal rules
- Dispute route (Labor Office / Labor Relations Commission)
Official authorities
- Ministry of Employment and Labor
Labour ministry — employment rules and minimum wage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 52-hour week?
The legal maximum is 40 regular hours plus up to 12 overtime hours per week, so 52 hours total.
Is there severance pay?
Yes — employees with at least a year's service receive a retirement allowance of roughly one month's average pay per year of service.
Who handles unfair dismissal?
The Labor Relations Commission, alongside the local Labor Office for wage and standards issues.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.
Government portals
- Government of Korea — Korea's integrated government portal — policy, administrative services, e-government
- Korea Immigration Service (HiKorea) — Visas, residence status changes, work permits, and alien registration in Korea
- National Tax Service (NTS) — Korean income tax, corporate tax, VAT filing; annual comprehensive tax return for foreigners (May); foreign taxpayer incentive lookup