Foreign employees' payslips show the same deductions as Korean employees': income tax, local income tax, and the four major social insurances (national pension, health insurance, employment insurance, industrial accident insurance). Income tax is withheld as an estimate under the simplified withholding table based on pay level and number of dependents; each insurance is charged at a set rate, split roughly in half between employee and employer (industrial accident insurance is employer-paid in full).
As of 2026, the national pension rate is 9.5% (4.75% employee share) and the health insurance rate is 7.19% (half employee-paid). Depending on your home country, a social security agreement with Korea may exempt or adjust your national pension enrollment.
Deduction lines on a Korean payslip
If your home country has a social security agreement with Korea
If your country has a social security agreement with Korea, short-term assigned workers may be exempt from national pension enrollment, or have their coverage periods from both countries counted together. Check with the National Pension Service for whether your country has an agreement and what conditions apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Topics
National Pension and Health Insurance for Foreigners
National pension enrollment duties (and social security agreement exceptions), plus how local health insurance premiums are calculated.
How Year-end Settlement Works: The Wage Income Tax Calculation Flow
A step-by-step walk-through of how Korea calculates your final year-end tax, from gross pay down to the amount actually owed or refunded.