South Korea Legal Guide

_General legal information, not legal advice. Every item links to its official source._

_General legal information, not legal advice. Every item links to its official source._

_General legal information, not legal advice. Every item links to its official source._

_General legal information, not legal advice. Every item links to its official source._

Severance pay in South Korea is calculated based on the employee's continuous service period, with at least 30 days' worth of average wages paid for each year of service. The calculation requires three main factors: continuous years of service, the rate of severance pay, and the average wage at the time of retirement Korean Labor Standards Act.

The average wage is based on the total wages paid during the three months prior to retirement, divided by the number of days in that period. If this amount is lower than the worker’s regular wage ("tongsangimgeum"), the regular wage is used instead Labor Standards Act Article 2, Paragraph 2.

If there are no specific rules in employment regulations or collective agreements, the severance pay rate applicable at the time of retirement is used, even if the employee changed job levels during employment National Law Information Center.

Employers must apply terms more favorable to workers if collective agreements or internal rules provide better conditions than the legal minimum National Law Information Center.

Law: Korean Labor Standards Act Article 34, effective 2003.9.15; also governed by the Retirement Pension Act Where to get help: Korea Legal Aid Corporation

General legal information from official sources, not legal advice. For your own case ask a lawyer or the body above.

한국에서 근로자의 연차유급휴가는 1년간 80% 이상 출근한 경우 15일을 부여받는다. 근로기준법

근로기간이 1년 미만이거나 1년간 80% 미만 출근한 근로자에게는 1개월 개근 시 1일의 유급휴가를 준다. 근로기준법

3년 이상 계속 근로한 자는 최초 1년을 초과하는 근로 연수 매 2년마다 1일을 가산하되, 최대 25일까지 부여된다. 근로기준법

연차휴가는 발생 후 1년 이내에 사용하지 않으면 소멸되며, 사용자의 귀책사유가 아닌 한 미사용 시 수당 청구 의무가 없다. 근로기준법

Law: 근로기준법 제60조(연차 유급휴가), [시행 2026. 8. 20.] Where to get help: 고용노동부

공식 출처의 일반 법률 정보이며 법적 조언이 아닙니다. 개별 사례는 변호사나 위 기관에 문의하세요.

Title: Act No. 20512 to Partially Amend the Personal Information Protection Act Jurisdiction: South Korea What changed: The Personal Information Protection Act was partially amended and promulgated on October 6, 2026, with enforcement set for April 7, 2027. Why it matters: The amendment introduces updated rules for data handling, potentially affecting businesses and organizations processing personal information in South Korea. Citation: 법률 제20512호 개인정보 보호법 일부개정법률 Date: 2026. 10. 6. Source: Constitutional Court of Korea

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Title: Supreme Court Decision on Request for Return of Lease Deposit Jurisdiction: South Korea What changed: The Supreme Court issued a ruling on October 8, 2026, in case 2025da301234 concerning a claim for the return of a lease deposit. Why it matters: This decision may influence how courts interpret lease deposit claims in future tenancy disputes. Citation: 대법원 2026. 10. 8. 선고 2025다301234 판결 Date: 2026. 10. 8. Source: Constitutional Court of Korea

_General legal information, not legal advice. Every item links to its official source._