How to Read Your Korean Payslip — Every Deduction Explained 2026

That Monthly Payslip — Do You Actually Understand It?

Be honest: when payday comes, do you check the final deposit number and move on? Most foreign workers do. But here's the problem — payslip errors are more common than you'd think. Overtime miscalculated. Deductions that shouldn't exist. Night premium completely missing. A miscalculated month can quietly cost 200,000-300,000 won — and it repeats every month until somebody notices.

This guide walks through every single line on a Korean payslip. After reading this, you'll catch problems your employer hoped you wouldn't notice.

"What's 기본급?" — The Earnings Section, Explained

Q: 기본급 (Basic Salary) — what should this number be?
This is your base monthly wage before anything is added or deducted. It must match your employment contract exactly. For 2026, minimum wage is 10,320 won/hour. Working standard 40-hour weeks (about 209 hours/month including paid weekly holidays), your minimum 기본급 should be around 2,156,880 won. Getting less? That's illegal — regardless of your visa type.

Q: 연장근로수당 (Overtime Pay) — how is it calculated?
Everything beyond 40 hours/week must be 1.5x your hourly rate at a workplace with 5 or more employees. Not 1x — 1.5x. (Under five employees the premium is not required by law, though every hour still has to be paid at or above minimum wage. Ask how many people the company employs — it changes what you are owed.) This is where mistakes happen most. Your employer might list overtime hours but calculate at the regular rate. Or cap overtime at fewer hours than you actually worked. Keep your own daily record — a phone note is enough.

Q: 야간근로수당 (Night Work Pay) — do I always get this?
Work between 10 PM and 6 AM? Additional 50% on top of your hourly rate. This stacks with overtime — so night overtime should be 2x your regular rate. One condition worth knowing: like the overtime premium, this applies at workplaces with 5 or more employees. If you work night shifts regularly at a workplace of that size and don't see this line, something is wrong. Seriously — ask about it.

Q: 휴일근로수당 (Holiday Work Pay) — what counts?
Public holidays and your weekly rest day are paid at 1.5x for the first 8 hours, and 2x for anything beyond that — so a long holiday shift is not all charged at the same rate, and it is worth checking where the slip draws the line. Like the overtime and night premiums, this applies at workplaces with 5 or more employees; under five you are still owed full pay for every hour, just without the premium. If you worked a holiday and got the normal rate at a workplace of that size, raise the issue.

Q: 식대 (Meal Allowance) — why is this separate?
Up to 200,000 won/month of meal allowance is tax-free. That's actually good for you — it lowers your taxable income. Some employers list housing allowance separately too.

"Why Is So Much Being Taken Out?" — The Deductions Section

Six deductions are the standard set. Others can be legal too — but only when they are written into your contract and you agreed to them. Dormitory and meal costs are the common case, and the E-9 standard contract has its own line for them. Anything you did not agree to, or cannot find in your contract, is worth questioning immediately.

① 국민연금 (National Pension) — 4.75%
This one changed in 2026. The total rate went from 9% to 9.5%, split evenly, so your half is now 4.75% instead of 4.5% — and it steps up again each year until 2033. Your employer pays the matching 4.75%. Important, and read this part carefully before you count the money: the lump-sum refund when you leave Korea permanently is not available to everyone. It depends on your nationality — nationals of the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Indonesia are among those who can claim it, while some of the largest sending countries are not on the list. Call the National Pension Service on 1355 and ask which rule applies to your passport, well before you book a flight home. If you are covered, this isn't lost money — it's forced savings.

② 건강보험 (Health Insurance) — ~3.595%
Employer matches. This is why you pay a share of the bill instead of all of it — roughly 20% as an inpatient and 30% at a local clinic, rising at larger hospitals, so a bigger share at a major hospital does not mean your insurance failed. Without it, a simple visit could be 200,000-500,000 won.

③ 장기요양보험 (Long-term Care) — ~13.14% of health insurance
Not 13.14% of your salary — of your health insurance premium. If your health insurance line is 70,000 won, this adds about 9,200 won. Small amount, legally required.

④ 고용보험 (Employment Insurance) — ~0.9%, but only if you're enrolled
This funds unemployment benefits, and here's the part that trips people up. On E-9 and H-2, unemployment coverage is opt-in — you and your employer have to sign up for it deliberately. If nobody did, this line simply won't appear on your payslip, and that's normal rather than an error. On most other work visas it's automatic. Find out which side you're on, because it decides whether you'd receive anything at all if the job ended.

⑤ 소득세 (Income Tax) — varies (usually 2-5%)
Depends on salary and dependents. Some higher-earning foreigners opt for the flat 19% rate for simplicity.

⑥ 지방소득세 (Local Income Tax) — 10% of income tax
If income tax is 50,000 won, this is 5,000 won. Simple calculation.

Red Flags — When to Take Action

Now you know what should be on your payslip. Here's what should NOT be there:

• Mystery deductions — Something labeled "기숙사" (dormitory), "장비" (equipment), or anything unlabeled? If it's not in your contract, it's not legal.
• A dormitory deduction that is in your contract but is still too big — being written down is only the first of three tests. It also has to stay within the cap for that type of housing (container and prefab units are capped much lower than a normal building), and — the one people never check — what is left after the deduction has to be at or above the minimum wage. Take your gross, subtract the housing line, divide by the hours you actually worked. If that lands under 10,320 won, the deduction is a problem no matter what the contract says.
• Overtime hours don't match reality — You worked 20 overtime hours but the slip shows 12. This is wage theft. The most common violation for foreign workers in Korea.
• Missing night premium — work between 10 PM and 6 AM should show 야간근로수당 at a workplace with 5 or more employees. Under five, the premium is not legally required — but every hour you actually worked still has to be paid, at or above minimum wage.
• Base pay below minimum — Monthly gross ÷ total hours. Below 10,320 won/hour? File a complaint.

If something looks wrong, first ask your employer — many errors are genuine mistakes. If they dismiss you, call the Labor Rights Helpline at 1350 (foreign language support available) or visit your nearest Labor Office.

One habit that could save you millions of won over your time in Korea: photograph every payslip. If you ever file a wage complaint, these are your evidence. Without them, it's your word against your employer's.

Can't read the Korean? Take a photo and use a translation app. Or better yet — learn enough Korean to read it yourself. It takes less time than you think, and it puts you in control of your own money. And once you know exactly what lands in your account, the next question is usually how much of it survives the trip home — our guide on sending money home compares what the banks and transfer apps actually take.