Korea Minimum Wage 2026 and Weekly Holiday Pay — Do Foreign Workers Get the Same?

As of 2026-10-04

Korea's minimum wage in 2026 is 10,320 KRW per hour. If you work 40 hours a week, the minimum monthly pay is 2,156,880 KRW (209 hours), including weekly holiday pay (주휴수당), an extra paid day per week. It applies equally to foreign workers, part-timers, and international students doing part-time work, regardless of nationality or visa status.

2026 minimum wage at a glance

Basis	Amount
Hourly	10,320 KRW
Daily (8 hours)	82,560 KRW
Monthly (40 hours a week, 209 hours including weekly holiday pay)	2,156,880 KRW
2027 hourly (from January 1)	10,700 KRW
2027 monthly (209 hours)	2,236,300 KRW

The minimum wage changes every year. The amount is announced by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and applies from January 1. The 2027 minimum wage has already been announced at 10,700 KRW per hour.

Who gets weekly holiday pay, and how much?

If your contracted working hours are 15 or more per week and you worked all of your scheduled workdays that week, you receive an extra day's wage, called weekly holiday pay. This applies regardless of the size of the workplace.

Weekly holiday hours = (weekly working hours ÷ 40) × 8 hours. For example, if you work 20 hours a week, you get 4 hours of weekly holiday pay, which is an extra 41,280 KRW per week at the minimum wage.

Any written pledge or contract clause saying you will not receive weekly holiday pay has no legal effect.

When pay below the minimum wage is allowed

Probation period: only if the contract is for 1 year or longer and the job is not simple manual labor, pay may be reduced to as low as 90% of the minimum wage for the first 3 months only. Paying 70% or 80% is illegal.
Otherwise, an employer cannot pay less than the minimum wage because of nationality, language ability, or visa status.

Overtime, night, and holiday pay

At workplaces with 5 or more regular employees, you receive an extra 50% of your ordinary wage for overtime beyond 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week, for night work between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., and for holiday work (100% for holiday work beyond 8 hours). Workplaces with fewer than 5 employees do not have this premium obligation, but the minimum wage and weekly holiday pay still apply equally.

If you are not being paid the minimum wage

Keep your employment contract, clock-in/out records, and salary transfer records.
Call the Ministry of Employment and Labor helpline 1350 or file a complaint with the regional labor office (노동청) that has jurisdiction. It is free.
An employer who does not pay the minimum wage can face up to 3 years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million KRW.

Frequently asked questions

Do foreign workers (E-9) get the minimum wage?

Yes. The Minimum Wage Act applies to all workers regardless of nationality. You must be paid at least 10,320 KRW per hour in 2026.

Do international students working part-time get weekly holiday pay?

Yes, if you work 15 or more hours a week and worked all of your scheduled workdays. Regardless of whether you have part-time work permission, you have the right to the legal wages for the work you did.

I am paid a monthly salary or a daily wage. How do I check it meets the minimum?

Monthly or daily pay divided by the hours you worked must also be at least the hourly minimum wage. For a monthly salary at 40 hours a week, it must be at least 2,156,880 KRW.

This article is general information, not legal advice. For your specific case, consult the Ministry of Employment and Labor (1350) or a lawyer.