Questions & Answers
Category:Money Matters
My employer pays me less than my hourly wage when I work overtime. Is that usual in Korea?
Whether it's usual or not, it's not legal. If your hourly wage is W20,000 an hour, then your overtime pay should be the same. It is not legal for the employer to pay you W15,000. Time and a half or double time is not always required however.
For more details, see our ESL teacher contracts page or click on the Working&Business tab and go to the Teaching in Korea column. You can also ltype the key words you're looking for in the Search box.
K4E Editor: Korea4Expats.com tries to ensure that the information we provide is accurate and complete, so should you notice any errors or omissions in the content above please contact us at info@korea4expats.com.
- If I pay for purchases with a Korean credit card, does this add to my income tax deductions?
- My boss only gave me less than one month's salary when my contract ended? What can I do.
- My employer did not give me my pension information until just hours before my flight. What can I do now?
- Why is it that universities don't pay airfaire to and from Korea?
- My employer pays me less than my hourly wage when I work overtime. Is that usual in Korea?
- Can I receive monies owed me by my employer after I leave Korea?
Culture
- During interviews I've been asked about when I plan to have children, why I'm not married, etc. Is that legal? Are men asked the same questions?
- I've found that customers here often just hang up without saying goodbye. I don't know if they're angry or not.
- Why do people so often say 'yes' to something they don't intend to do?
General Info
Government Regs
- Do I have to file an annual Korean tax return?
- How can I figure out how to file my Korean income tax return if I don't speak/read Korean fluently?
- How can I make sure that my employer is paying the tax they deduct from my salary to the government?
- Do I have the contribute to the Korean Pension Plan even though I'm not going to be here until I retire?
- What can I do if my employer refuses to give me my severance pay?
Health
Housing
Teaching in Korea
Working Conditions
- Is there a government agency I can contact in case of a contract dispute with a Korean employer?
- Can a foreign worker who does not have a work visa get help from the Ministry of Labor?
- As a foreign worker in Korea, am I entitled to maternity leave?
- Is my employer obligated to provide me with medical insurance?
- My employer enrolled me in a private insurance plan not the national one, is that legal?
- Can I get my own national health insurance coverage?
- My employer says that I have to go to a specific clinic/hospital? Can't I chose my own doctor/hospital?
- Does the national health plan cover 100% of my medical expenses?
- How much will it cost me to provide my own health insurance coverage?
- My employer has gone bankrupt owing me back wages and my air fare back home. Is there anything I can do?
- Is it true that as a foreign ESL teacher, I pay Korean income taxes 70% of my income, not 100%
- My employer wants us to work on promotions and special weekend camps for free or for less than our normal hourly wage. Can he do that?
- Which has more weight, labor law or the contract? Can a contract go against the law?
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Banks and Finance Services
KEB - FDI, FIE and Corporate Banking Services for Foreign Investors in Korea -
Business and Networking Associations
American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, AMCHAM, Seoul -
Doctors, Hospitals, Intl Clinics
UBA Plastic Surgery and Women's Health Clinic, Gangnam, Seoul -
Moving, Relocation, Storage
SMK - Safe Moving Korea, Domestic & Overseas Furniture Removal -
Counselling, Coaching, EAP, Therapy, etc.
Adaptable Human Solutions, Counselling-Therapy, Seoul -
Dental Clinics incl. Dentists, Orthodontists
hus-hu Dental Clinic, English-Speaking Dentists in Apgujeong, Gangnam, Seoul. -
Schools Nursery to University
Franciscan Foreign Kindergarten, 2-6 year olds, Hannam-dong, Seoul -
Doctors, Hospitals, Intl Clinics
Medi Flower - English-speaking OB/GYN, Seocho, Seoul
Last Posts On Forums
The dates of the HaeBangChon Festival have changed to 25-26 May.
Performances by Earth, Wind & Fire, George Benson, Al Di Meola, Eric Benet, Ledisi, Leessang and many more! Free Ticket draw 11 May.
An opportunity to meet the Editor-in-Chief of Dow Jones and Managing Editor of The Wall Street Journal.
Click here for a list of English language/subtitled movies and where they are playing in Seoul. 
