Minimum Wage in Korea: The 2026 Rate, Who It Covers, and What to Do If You Are Underpaid

The 2026 rate

Korea’s national minimum wage for 2026 is 10,320 won per hour, set by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) notice and effective from January 1, 2026. This is an increase of 290 won (2.9%) over the 2025 rate of 10,030 won.

The monthly equivalent for a standard 40-hour, five-day week is 2,156,880 won, based on 209 hours per month (40 regular hours plus 8 hours of paid weekly rest, averaged). The rate applies uniformly to all businesses — there is no industry-specific minimum wage in Korea.

The 2027 rate has already been decided by the Minimum Wage Commission: 10,700 won per hour (2,236,300 won a month at 209 hours), effective January 1, 2027.

It applies to foreign workers equally

The minimum wage applies to every worker in Korea regardless of nationality or visa status. The Minimum Wage Act (최저임금법) covers all businesses that employ workers, with no nationality qualification, and both the Labor Standards Act and the Act on the Employment of Foreign Workers prohibit paying foreign workers less than Korean workers for the same work.

In practice this means:

• An E-9 worker is entitled to the same 10,320 won per hour floor as any Korean worker.
• There is no separate, lower rate for any visa category.
• Paying below the floor is an underpayment violation, not a negotiation point.

Note that some visa categories carry higher floors on top of the minimum wage — for example, E-7 professional visas have their own minimum salary conditions set annually by the Ministry of Justice, which are well above the national minimum.

How to check whether you are being underpaid

To check your pay against the minimum wage, you need three numbers:

1. Your monthly wage before deductions — from your payslip, or by adding deducted amounts back onto your bank deposit.
2. Your hours worked that month — from your contract and attendance records.
3. The comparison baseline — 10,320 won in 2026.

If you work 40 hours a week, divide your monthly salary by 209; if the result is below that year’s minimum wage, you are being underpaid. If your work period spans both 2026 and 2027, split the calculation by year, since the rate changes on January 1.

The monthly figure matters only at a standard 40-hour week. If your hours differ, compare on an hourly basis: total monthly wages ÷ total monthly hours. The hourly comparison is the one that decides compliance.

What to do if you are underpaid

If your pay is below the minimum wage, the practical steps are:

• Raise it with your employer first, with the calculation written down — many underpayments come from a miscalculated hourly rate or unpaid hours, not intent.
• Contact the Ministry of Employment and Labor — you can file a complaint at your local labor office (고용노동부 지방노동관서). The labor office can investigate and order the employer to pay the difference.
• Keep records — payslips, your employment contract, attendance or clock-in/out logs, and bank statements showing deposits. These are what prove the underpayment.

Underpayment of wages is a violation of the Labor Standards Act and can carry fines and criminal liability for the employer. The minimum wage itself is reviewed annually by the Minimum Wage Commission, with the new rate announced around August and taking effect the following January.

Note — minimum wage rates, monthly equivalents and the floors attached to specific visas change annually. Confirm the current year’s notice on the official minimum wage site or MOEL before acting on the figures in this guide.