Living in Korea, explained properly.
Visas, banking, phone plans, taxes and housing — written for people who actually have to do it, and sourced from the published criteria.
Childcare in Korea for Foreign Families: Daycare, Kindergartens and Fee Support
How childcare works in Korea for foreign families — enrolling a child in daycare or kindergarten, the difference between public and private centres, and the fee support that Seoul and Gyeonggi offer for foreign children.
korea childcare — Read guideWhat's in this guide
- Foreign children are not barred from Korean daycare centres or kindergartens, and facilities should consider Korean and foreign children equally at admission.
- Public daycare centres are cheaper but harder to enter — admissions run on a priority point system, and foreign parents often end up on long waiting lists.
- National fee subsidies generally require Korean nationality, but Seoul and Gyeonggi run their own partial daycare support for registered foreign children.
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- Banking
Insurance in Korea for Foreigners: NHI, Car Insurance and Private Cover
What insurance foreign residents in Korea need and how it works — the national health insurance tied to employment, the mandatory car insurance, and the private health, travel and life cover options.
- Living
Korean Language Classes for Foreigners: Free City Programmes, Universities and Private Options
Where foreigners in Korea can learn Korean — free city-run classes at foreign resident centres, university Korean language programmes, and private academies, plus what to expect on cost and scheduling.
- Living
Annual Leave in Korea: How Many Days You Get and the Rules Around Using Them
Korean annual leave under the Labor Standards Act — 15 paid days after one year of service, how leave accrues in the first year, the seniority increase to 25 days, and what happens to unused leave.
- Living
Taking the Korean Driving Test as a Foreigner: Written, Course and Road Stages
How to get a Korean driver's licence by taking the test from scratch — the written test (40 questions, English available), the closed-course test and the on-road test, with fees and pass scores.
- Living
T-money and Public Transport Cards in Korea: Buying, Charging and Using Them
How public transport cards like T-money work in Korea — where to buy one, how to top it up, the tap-on/tap-off rule and transfer discounts, and how refunds work for visitors.
- Living
Kakao T and Taxi Apps in Korea: Calling a Taxi and Paying as a Foreigner
How taxi apps work in Korea — Kakao T and the foreigner-focused k.ride, signing up without a Korean number, the 'pay to driver' workaround, and what to know about fares.
- Tax
Korea Inheritance Tax: Who Is Taxed, the Rates, Deductions and Filing Deadlines
Korea's inheritance tax for foreigners — what is taxed based on the deceased's residence, the 10–50% progressive rates, the deductions available, and the 6-month filing deadline.
- Living
International Schools in Korea: Eligibility Rules, Costs and the Admission Process
How international schools in Korea work for foreign residents — the Ministry of Education eligibility criteria, the tuition range, and the typical application process for schools such as Korea International School.