Living in Korea · Pay & benefits
Korea's Four Major Insurances (4대보험)
Every employee in Korea is enrolled in four mandatory social insurances. Three of them come out of your paycheck each month — together about 9% of gross pay before income tax. Here is what each one is, the 2026 employee rate, and how it hits your take-home pay.
The four insurances at a glance
These are the 2026 employee-side rates (your employer pays a matching or additional share separately):
| National Pension (국민연금) | 4.75% |
| Health Insurance (건강보험) | 3.595% |
| Long-term Care (장기요양) — 12.95% of the health premium | ≈ 0.47% |
| Employment Insurance (고용보험) | 0.9% |
| Industrial Accident (산재보험) | employer only |
Employee-side rates for 2026. Long-term care is charged as 12.95% of your health-insurance premium, not of salary. Source: 국민연금공단 · 국민건강보험공단 · 고용노동부.
What each one is for
National Pension (국민연금)
Korea's public pension. You contribute 4.75% and your employer another 4.75% (9.5% total) up to a standardised-income ceiling of ₩6,370,000/month. Foreign workers are generally covered too, and some nationalities can reclaim contributions on leaving Korea under a lump-sum refund agreement.
Health Insurance (건강보험) + Long-term Care
Covers most medical treatment at heavily subsidised rates. The premium is 7.19% of salary, split evenly (3.595% each). On top of the health premium sits Long-term Care Insurance at 12.95% of that premium — funding care for the elderly and disabled.
Employment Insurance (고용보험)
Funds unemployment benefits, job training and parental leave. Employees pay 0.9%; employers pay more, at a rate that varies with company size.
Industrial Accident Insurance (산재보험)
Covers work-related injury and illness. It is paid entirely by the employer, so it never appears on your payslip — but it is one reason the true cost of employing someone in Korea is higher than their gross salary.
What it means for your paycheck
Add the three employee insurances (~9%) to income tax and local tax, and most workers take home roughly 88–92% of gross. To see your exact figure at current rates, use the Korea Salary Calculator, or read Salary in Korea 2026 for what people earn by sector.
Rates are set annually and a few are still being finalised for 2026. This page uses the official published rates; verify the current figures with the National Pension Service (국민연금공단) and National Health Insurance Service (국민건강보험공단) before making decisions.
Frequently asked questions
What are the four major insurances in Korea?▾
National Pension (국민연금), Health Insurance (건강보험, which includes Long-term Care), Employment Insurance (고용보험) and Industrial Accident Insurance (산재보험). The first three are split between you and your employer; industrial-accident insurance is paid entirely by the employer.
How much is deducted from my salary for insurance?▾
As an employee in 2026 you pay roughly 4.75% (pension) + 3.595% (health) + about 0.47% (long-term care, calculated on the health premium) + 0.9% (employment) — around 9% of your gross salary, before income tax.
Does my employer pay too?▾
Yes. Your employer matches your pension, health and long-term-care contributions and also pays employment insurance plus 100% of industrial-accident insurance — so the total employer cost is well above your gross salary.
Is there a cap on contributions?▾
Yes for pension: contributions are calculated on a standardised monthly income with an upper limit (₩6,370,000 for 2025.7–2026.6), so very high earners do not pay pension on the full amount.