4.Labor Law - (2024)

Foreign workers in Korea receive the same protection under Korean labor laws. More information on labor laws can be found on the Ministry of Employment and Labor website (moel.go.kr).

Work hours

• Legal work hours are 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week, excluding break times.
• Women within 1 year of childbirth cannot work extended hours over 2 hours/day, 6 hours/week, and 150 hours/year, and pregnant women cannot work any extended hours.
• Employee’s consent is required for women over the age of 18 to work overnight hours (10 PM–6 AM) and holidays.
• A 50% wage bonus is provided for extended, overnight, and holiday hours.
• 30 minutes for 4 hours, 1 hour 8 hours of break time is provided.

Wage

• The minimum wage in 2024 is KRW 9,860 (hourly)
• The employer must pay their employees in cheque or cash. Additionally, if the employee requests pre-delivery of waves before the payday, the employer must pay the employee for their completed work hours.
• Unreceived wages can be solved through a formal complaint or a civil lawsuit.

Holiday

• 15 days of paid leave is given to workers who worked more than 1 year with 80% attendance.
• 1 day of paid leave is provided each month of attendance for employees who worked less than 1 year.
• Breaks due to injury during work, disease, maternity, and miscarriage, etc. are not considered as absence.
• Female employees can request menstrual leave (unpaid) 1 day each month.

Four social insurances

• Foreign workers can also receive the benefits of Korea’s four social insurances: workers’ compensation insurance, health insurance, employment insurance, and pension insurance.
• Workers’ compensation insurance, health insurance, and pension insurance are mandatory. Employment insurance is mandatory according to the visa of the foreigner, and some are target for voluntary insurance.
• More information is available for members of Social Insurance Information System (4insure.or.kr).
• Business owners and foreign workers must subscribe to the departure guarantee insurance, return cost insurance, guarantee insurance, and accident insurance.

Support and information for foreign workers

Seoul Global Center

Free legal advice can be received from lawyers and labor attorneys from 2 PM to 5 PM on weekdays.

Seoul Center for Foreign Workers

Consultation, education, culture, and temporary shelter provided foreign workers and their families to adjust to Korean society.

Ministry of Employment and Labor

• Government agency in charge of handling tasks related to wage defaults, unfair layoffs, etc.
• Q&A: https://www.moel.go.kr/english/info/qna.do
• Hotline: +82-1350 (press 5 for multilingual service)