Residents can claim a basic deduction of KRW 1.5 million per year for each qualifying dependent — self, spouse, parents, children, siblings, and others. A dependent must live with the taxpayer as recorded on the family register (or alien registration for foreigners) — except children, who are exempt from the cohabitation requirement — and must have annual income of KRW 1 million or less (or gross wages of KRW 5 million or less if wage income is their only income).
Additional deductions include the elderly deduction (age 70+, KRW 1 million per person), the disability deduction (KRW 2 million per person), the working-woman deduction (KRW 500,000), and deductions related to children age 6 or under.
Three requirements for a dependent deduction
Can I claim a deduction for parents who still live in my home country?
The cohabitation test generally assumes living together in Korea, so parents residing abroad are typically not eligible. Exceptions can apply for temporary absences (schooling, medical treatment), so this needs case-by-case confirmation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Topics
How Wage Income Taxation Differs for Residents and Non-residents
Even for the same wage income, residents and non-residents face very different deduction rules. A side-by-side comparison.
Who Counts as a Dependent for Comprehensive Income Tax
Dependent eligibility rules for the comprehensive income tax return, and how they differ from year-end wage settlement.