Check in 30 Seconds if Your Pay Meets the Minimum Wage (One Number to Find on Your Payslip)

Who does this apply to

It applies to all foreign workers, including E-9, H-2 and E-7. It is the same at workplaces with fewer than 5 workers and during a probation period (trial period at a new job). Maybe your 근로계약서 (employment contract) shows a lower amount and you signed it. That part is still not valid. The law treats it as if the company promised the minimum wage (최저임금법 제6조 (Minimum Wage Act Article 6)).

30-second check

1. Get your payslip. It can be on paper, by text message, KakaoTalk or email. The company must give you a payslip every time it pays you (근로기준법 제48조제2항 (Labor Standards Act Article 48(2)), from November 19, 2021). If you do not have one, ask for it: "임금명세서 주세요" ("Please give me my payslip").
2. Find the two parts. One part is the payment items (basic pay, overtime pay, night work pay, holiday work pay, meal allowance, etc.). The other part is the deduction items (income tax, national pension, health insurance, employment insurance, dormitory fee, meal costs, etc.).
3. In the payment items, look at one number: "기본급" (basic pay). Do not add overtime, night or holiday pay. Do not subtract deductions.
4. Compare. If you work 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, you pass if your basic pay is 2,156,880 won or more.
5. If it is less, add meal allowance, transport allowance and bonuses that you get in cash every month, and compare again. If your payslip has a separate "주휴수당" (paid weekly rest day allowance) line, add that too. If it is still less, the company may be breaking the minimum wage law.

Here is an example payslip.

Item	Amount (won)
Basic pay	2,100,000
Overtime pay	350,000
Total pay	2,450,000
National pension, health insurance, employment insurance, income tax	−210,000
Dormitory fee	−200,000
Take-home pay	2,040,000

On this payslip, the number to look at is basic pay of 2,100,000 won, not take-home pay of 2,040,000 won. It is less than 2,156,880 won, so the company may be breaking the law.

"We only get 2.1 million won" — in this case

Check three things.

1. Is 2.1 million won the basic pay before deductions, or the money that came into your bank account? If 2.1 million won came into your bank account, your basic pay is higher. Look at the basic pay on your payslip again.
2. Is it your pay for 2026? In 2025, the minimum monthly pay was 2,096,270 won (hourly wage 10,030 won × 209 hours). At that time, 2.1 million won did not break the law. From January 2026 pay, it is 2,156,880 won. If the company still pays 2.1 million won in 2026, it has not added the increase.
3. Does the 2.1 million won include overtime pay? If it does, your basic pay is even lower, so the company is short by more.

In 2026, if you work 40 hours a week and your basic pay before deductions is 2.1 million won, your hourly wage is about 10,048 won. This is less than the minimum wage of 10,320 won. The difference is 56,880 won a month, or 682,560 won a year. You can claim this money.

When your working hours are not 209 hours

209 hours comes from (40 hours a week + 8 hours of paid weekly rest) × 4.345 weeks (the average number of weeks in a month). Paid weekly rest hours = weekly working hours ÷ 40 × 8. You get them when you work 15 hours or more a week.

• Formula: minimum monthly basic pay = 10,320 won × (weekly working hours + paid weekly rest hours) × 4.345
• Example: 30 hours a week → 6 hours of paid weekly rest → 36 hours × 4.345 ≈ 156.4 hours → about 1.61 million won
• If you work 6 days and 48 hours a week, the 8 hours over 40 hours are overtime. Basic pay stays based on 209 hours. Overtime pay (1.5 times) must be added separately. See how to calculate it in How to calculate overtime, night and holiday pay.
• If you are paid by the hour, check that your hourly wage is 10,320 won or more and that there is a separate paid weekly rest day allowance line.

It is easier to use the Allowance and severance pay calculator. Enter your numbers and you get the answer right away.

Common traps

1. "We give you a dormitory and food, so that covers the minimum wage" — A dormitory and meals given in kind (not as money) do not count toward the minimum wage. Look only at basic pay.
2. A company that calls the amount after deductions "the minimum wage" — Always compare the amount before deductions. Even if your take-home pay is 1.9 million won, it is not a violation if your basic pay is 2,156,880 won or more.
3. Dormitory fees taken out without a consent form — The company needs your written consent to take housing and meal costs from your pay. The 2017 guideline on charging for housing and meals was canceled on November 27, 2023. Changing costs like electricity and gas should, as a rule, be settled later based on what you actually used. See the detailed rules in Dormitory standards and rules for housing and meal deductions.
4. Counting meal allowance and bonuses — From 2024, meal allowance, transport allowance and bonuses paid in cash every month count fully toward the minimum wage. Basic pay of 2 million won + cash meal allowance of 200,000 won is counted as 2.2 million won, so it is not a violation. But a "meal allowance" that is only said in words and is not on the payslip is not counted.
5. A payslip with no basic pay line, only a total — A payslip must show the amount for each item and how it was calculated. Ask "How much is my basic pay? How many hours of overtime?" and write down the answers.
6. 90% during probation — Your contract must be 1 year or longer, the probation must be 3 months or less, and the job must not be simple manual labor. All three must be true for the company to pay less. See the conditions in 2026 minimum wage and calculating your pay.

If you think the law is being broken

1. Collect evidence. Photos of your payslips (every month), your employment contract, records of when you start and finish work (photos, apps), and bank deposit records.
2. Call 1577-0071 to check the calculation in Nepali. They are open 365 days a year, 09:00–18:00.
3. You can tell the company: "2026년 최저임금은 월 2,156,880원입니다. 차액을 주세요." ("The 2026 minimum wage is 2,156,880 won a month. Please pay me the difference.")
4. If the company does not pay, file a complaint at the 노동포털 (Labor Portal, labor.moel.go.kr) or at your local 노동청 (regional labor office). See the steps in How to report unpaid wages.
5. The time limit is 3 years. You cannot claim pay once 3 years have passed from its regular payday, so the oldest months are lost first. Do not wait.
6. If your average monthly pay for the last 3 months is less than 4 million won, 대한법률구조공단 (Korea Legal Aid Corporation, 132) will take your court case for free.
7. If you report unpaid wages, you will not be reported to 출입국·외국인관서 (immigration office) (from 2025-11-06).
8. Breaking the minimum wage law is punished by up to 3 years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won. The company is punished, and the worker receives the difference.

What to bring

• Payslips (for the last 3 months or more)
• Employment contract
• 외국인등록번호 (foreigner registration number), company name
• Records that show your actual working hours

Frequently asked questions

Q. 1.9 million won comes into my bank account. Is this a violation? A. You cannot tell from the amount in your bank account. Look at the basic pay before deductions on your payslip. If you do not have a payslip, ask the company for one. If you still do not get one, take your bank records and employment contract and call 1577-0071.

Q. My basic pay is 2 million won and my cash meal allowance is 200,000 won. A. If you work 40 hours a week, it is counted as 2.2 million won, so it is not a violation. The meal allowance must be written on your payslip every month.

Q. The company does not give me a payslip. A. If the company does not give one, it can be fined up to 5 million won. Ask for it by text message or KakaoTalk so you have a record, and get advice using your bank records.

Q. My contract says 2 million won a month and I signed it. A. The part that is lower than the minimum wage is not valid. You can claim the difference up to 2,156,880 won.

Q. The company says "it is different for foreigners." A. The minimum wage is the same no matter your nationality or visa type.

Where to get help

Organization	Phone	What they do
외국인력상담센터 (Foreign Workers Counseling Center)	1577-0071	Advice in Nepali, checking your payslip calculation. 365 days a year, 09:00–18:00
고용노동부 (Ministry of Employment and Labor) Customer Counseling Center	1350	Minimum wage information, finding your local labor office. Korean, weekdays 09:00–18:00
고용노동부 노동포털 (Labor Portal)	labor.moel.go.kr	Filing complaints
대한법률구조공단 (Korea Legal Aid Corporation)	132	Free court cases (average monthly pay less than 4 million won)

See how to call in When you do not know where to call.