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.
Does South Korea Tax Foreigners? Income Tax Rules for Expats
Yes — South Korea taxes foreigners on Korean-source income, and tax residents also pay on worldwide income. Resident rule (183 days), 2025 progressive rates, local income tax and withholding explained.
does south korea pay taxes — Read guideWhat's in this guide
- South Korea taxes foreigners on income earned from Korean sources, so most expats working here pay Korean income tax.
- You are a tax resident if you have a domicile or live in Korea for 183 days or more, and residents are taxed on worldwide income.
- Rates are progressive from 6% to 45%, plus a 10% local income tax, and employers normally withhold tax each month.
Recently updated
- Visa
Korea F Visa Requirements: F-2, F-4, F-5 and F-6 Explained
Requirements for Korea's family and residence visas: F-2 points-based residence (80 points), F-4 overseas Korean, F-5 permanent residence, and F-6 marriage visa, based on official immigration.go.kr and Hikorea criteria.
- Visa
Documents Required for a Korean Visa: The Checklist by Status
The documents a Korean visa application generally asks for — passport, photo, proof of purpose, financial evidence and the certificates that need apostille or translation — arranged as a checklist you can prepare before applying.
- Banking
Korea International Transfer: How to Send Money Abroad as a Foreign Resident
The practical mechanics of an international transfer from Korea — the annual limits that apply to foreign residents, the documents banks require, how a bank wire compares with transfer apps, and the mistakes that get transfers returned.
- Phone
Getting a Phone Plan in Korea Without an ARC: What Works and What Waits
What phone service you can buy in Korea before you have an alien registration card (ARC) — why prepaid is the passport-only route, why postpaid and app verification wait, and how to switch after registration.
- Visa
How to Renew Your Korean Visa: Windows, Fees and Step-by-Step Steps
How visa renewal (extension of stay) works in Korea — when the application window opens, how to file on HiKorea or at the immigration office, the fee by status, and what happens after you apply.
- Visa
Alien Registration Card in Korea: Deadline, Documents and Why You Need It First
The ARC deadline, what to bring to immigration, how to book a slot on HiKorea, and the everyday services that stay locked until the card arrives.
- Visa
D-10 Job Seeker Visa in Korea: Points, Documents and What It Allows
The D-10 lets you stay in Korea while looking for work or preparing a start-up. Here is the points assessment, the documents required, and the activity limits that catch people out.
- Visa
D-2 Student Visa in Korea: Requirements, Part-Time Work and Attendance Rules
What the D-2 student visa requires — admission, financial evidence and documents — plus the part-time work permission process and the attendance rules that can cost you the status.