In 2026, Korea's minimum wage is ₩10,320 per hour. The official 8-hour daily figure is ₩82,560, and the official monthly figure for a 40-hour week is ₩2,156,880, calculated on 209 paid hours including paid weekly rest. If you are working legally in Korea, compare your actual pay against the minimum wage before deductions, and remember that visa work permission is a separate issue from wage rights.
Korea's minimum wage matters for more than factory jobs. It affects cafe shifts, restaurant work, hotel work, internships that are actually employment, and many entry-level office roles.
The confusing part is not the headline number. It is whether your employer is counting hours correctly, whether weekly paid rest is included, and whether a foreign worker's visa status is being mixed up with wage law.
What is the 2026 minimum wage in Korea?
For work performed from January 1 to December 31, 2026, the minimum wage is:
Pay basis | 2026 amount |
|---|---|
Hourly wage | ₩10,320 |
8-hour day | ₩82,560 |
40-hour week monthly figure | ₩2,156,880 |
The monthly figure is based on 209 hours. That is why a simple 40 hours × 4 weeks calculation looks too low; Korea's official monthly minimum-wage figure includes paid weekly rest hours for a standard full-time schedule.
For part-time workers, start with the hourly number. If you worked 20 paid hours in a week, the basic minimum before any weekly-rest calculation would be 20 × ₩10,320 = ₩206,400.
Does Korea's minimum wage apply to foreign workers?
The practical rule is simple: if you are a worker in Korea, your nationality does not make the minimum wage disappear. A boss cannot say, "foreigners get a different minimum wage" and use that as a reason to pay less.
But there is an important separate question: are you allowed to do that work under your visa status? A student, working-holiday holder, E-series worker, spouse visa holder, and permanent resident can all have different work-permission rules. Minimum wage protects pay; it does not automatically give you immigration permission to work.
If a job sounds casual, still treat it like work. Keep your contract, screenshots of shift schedules, bank transfer records, payslips, and messages about hours or pay.
How do you check if your pay is below minimum wage?
Use gross pay for the wage check first, not the final amount that lands in your bank account after tax, health insurance, pension, or other deductions.
For hourly work:
Add the hours you actually worked in the pay period.
Separate regular hours from overtime, night, holiday, or bonus payments.
Divide regular wage by regular paid hours.
Check whether that number is at least ₩10,320 per hour.
For monthly work, compare your base monthly wage and paid-hour basis against the official monthly figure. A standard full-time monthly salary below ₩2,156,880 is an immediate warning sign in 2026, but the final answer can depend on your actual working hours and what is counted as wage.
What pay tricks should foreign workers watch for?
The biggest trap is being shown a monthly number that looks okay, while the actual hours are much longer than a standard schedule. If your contract says "salary" but you regularly work extra hours, calculate the hourly result.
Watch these five points:
Unpaid trial shifts: a real work shift should not become free labor just because the employer calls it training.
Cash pay with no records: cash is not automatically illegal, but no payslip and no written hours make disputes harder.
Deductions for meals or housing: ask what is being deducted, in writing, before accepting a package.
Tips or bonuses counted as basic wage: variable extras should not be used to hide a low base wage.
Visa pressure: wage rights and immigration status are different; do not rely only on your employer's explanation.
If you are unsure, call the Ministry of Employment and Labor counseling center at 1350 on weekdays from 09:00 to 18:00. For complex disputes, a local labor office or a qualified professional may be needed.
What should you check before accepting a low-paid job?
Ask for the pay structure before you start, not after your first payday. At minimum, get these items in writing:
Item to confirm | Why it matters |
|---|---|
Hourly or monthly wage | Lets you compare against ₩10,320/hour |
Expected weekly hours | Reveals whether the monthly pay is realistic |
Paid weekly rest | Important for regular weekly schedules |
Pay date | Prevents vague "later" promises |
Deductions | Shows whether meals, housing, uniforms, or advances reduce take-home pay |
Visa/work-permission handling | Avoids confusing wage law with immigration permission |
Do not accept "we will explain later" for core wage terms. A small workplace can still provide a clear pay rate, schedule, and payday.
Salary Calculator
Salary Calculator — Enter your gross monthly salary in Korea and estimate what reaches your bank account after income tax, health insurance, pension, and common deductions.
Frequently asked questions
Is Korea's 2026 minimum wage hourly or monthly?
Both figures are published, but the hourly figure is the cleanest starting point: ₩10,320 per hour. The official monthly figure is ₩2,156,880 for a standard 40-hour week using 209 paid hours.
Can an employer pay a foreign student less than Korean workers?
No, foreign status is not a reason to pay below Korea's minimum wage. A student must also check whether the job and hours are allowed under their visa, because work permission is a separate immigration issue.
Is the minimum wage before or after tax?
Check minimum wage against gross wage before normal deductions. Your net pay can be lower after income tax, pension, health insurance, or other lawful deductions.
What should I do if my Korean employer underpays me?
Collect your contract, work schedule, payslips, bank records, and messages about hours or pay. Then contact 1350 for labor counseling or speak with the local labor office about the next step.