Korean Employment Contracts: What Must Be Written Down and What to Check

What a Korean employment contract covers

Under the Labour Standards Act, an employment contract is expected to specify the core terms in writing. The items that should appear — and that matter most in practice — are:

• Wage — the amount, how it is calculated and the payment date
• Working hours — start and end times, and the weekly total
• Breaks and rest — the legally required break times
• Paid leave — annual leave and how it accrues
• Job duties and workplace — the role and where the work is performed
• Contract period — fixed-term or indefinite

A line like ‘competitive compensation’ is not sufficient — the written figures are what protect you, so make sure the real numbers are in the document.

What foreign workers should check

Foreign workers sign the same standard forms as Korean workers, and the contract cannot go below the statutory floors that apply to everyone — the minimum wage (10,320 won per hour in 2026), the 52-hour weekly cap, overtime pay and annual leave. Our working hours guide and annual leave guide cover those floors in detail.

Three things to look at closely before signing:

• The wage meets the minimum — check the monthly figure against the minimum-wage floor for the hours stated.
• The hours are realistic — a ‘40 hours’ line that actually expects far more can hide unpaid overtime.
• The visa matches the job — your employment contract should fit the activity your visa permits, since the contract is part of how immigration and the employer verify the arrangement.

The ‘comprehensive wage’ clause

Watch for a comprehensive wage clause (포괄임금제, pogwolimgeumje) — a fixed monthly salary claimed to include all overtime regardless of hours worked. Korean courts have repeatedly found such arrangements invalid for ordinary office workers, and if your contract has one while you genuinely work overtime, it may be worth challenging.

If you see the clause, ask what hours it is based on and get the expected overtime written down. The premium for overtime — 1.5x the ordinary rate — is mandatory, and a clause cannot simply write it away.

Practical notes

• Keep the signed copy — you need it for immigration, insurance, tax and any wage dispute.
• Ask in a language you understand — a contract in Korean should be explained to you before you sign; do not sign on the basis of a verbal summary.
• Check it against the law — anything below the statutory floors (minimum wage, working-hours cap, annual leave) is not valid even if signed.
• After signing — the employer enrols you in the four major social insurances; confirm enrolment early, since it is tied to your rights and your tax situation.

If you are leaving the job later, our quit-job guide covers final pay and severance.

Note — contract-form requirements and statutory floors change. Confirm the current rules with the Ministry of Employment and Labor before relying on this guide.