4 Major Social Insurances (4대보험) Explained — What Is Taken Out of Your Monthly Pay

Each insurance at a glance

Insurance	Who pays	Applies to E-9?	Where to ask
Industrial Accident Insurance	Employer pays all	Automatic membership	근로복지공단 (Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service) 1588-0075
Health Insurance	Worker and employer pay half each	Automatic workplace membership	국민건강보험공단 (National Health Insurance Service) 1577-1000
Employment Insurance	Depends on the program (see below)	Automatic, introduced step by step	고용노동부 (Ministry of Employment and Labor) 1350
National Pension	Worker and employer pay half each	Depends on nationality	국민연금공단 (National Pension Service) 1355

1. Industrial Accident Insurance

• This insurance pays for medical treatment and gives you money for days you cannot work (sick-leave benefit) when you are injured or get sick because of work.
• A workplace that hires E-9 workers is automatically a member. The employer pays the full premium.
• Even if the company did not register for the insurance, an injured worker can still apply for compensation.
• The Supreme Court decided that a foreigner without permission to work is still a worker if they actually worked and received wages, so they can receive medical care benefits (ruling 94누12067, given on September 15, 1995). This means undocumented workers can also apply for industrial accident compensation.
• For applications and advice, call 근로복지공단 at 1588-0075.

2. Health Insurance

• In 2026, the premium rate for workplace members is 7.19%. The worker and the employer each pay half, so the worker's share is about 3.6%.
• A long-term care insurance premium is added on top. In 2026, it is 0.9448% of income (13.14% of the health insurance premium). This is also paid half and half.
• E-9 and H-2 workers automatically join as workplace members. The employer must report the start of your membership within 14 days from the day you were hired.
• Help for foreigners: 033-811-2000 (English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Uzbek). Main number: 1577-1000.

3. Employment Insurance

Employment Insurance became automatic for E-9 and H-2 workers step by step, based on the size of the workplace.

Workplace size	Start date
30 or more regular workers	January 1, 2021
10 to 29 regular workers	January 1, 2022
Fewer than 10 regular workers	January 1, 2023

This point is important. Under Article 10-2 of the Employment Insurance Act, the part that applies automatically is the Employment Stability and Job Skills Development Program. The employer pays the full premium for this part.

Unemployment benefits (Chapter 4) and childcare leave benefits and similar benefits (Chapter 5) apply only if you apply for them. The application must go through the employer. 법제처 (Ministry of Government Legislation) has explained that if the employer does not agree, the employer does not have to submit the application. The premium rate for unemployment benefits is 1.8%. The worker and the employer each pay 0.9%.

To receive unemployment benefits

• In the 18 months before leaving the job, you must have at least 180 insured days (days covered by the insurance).
• You must have left the job involuntarily (not by your own choice). Quitting for a valid reason, such as unpaid wages, may also be accepted.
• You must be willing and able to work, and you must actively look for a new job.

Whether an E-9 worker can receive unemployment benefits while applying for a change of workplace and looking for a new company depends on whether they were enrolled in unemployment benefits and why they left the job. Please check with your local 고용센터 (Employment Center) or 1350 to see if your case qualifies. (Official confirmation needed)

4. National Pension

National Pension follows the principle of reciprocity. This means it applies to people of a country only if that country gives Koreans a pension like the National Pension.

• Because of reciprocity, Nepali nationals are listed as coming from a country excluded from automatic workplace membership. This means that, as a rule, they do not join the National Pension, and National Pension is not taken out of their monthly pay.
• Because they do not join, the lump-sum refund (반환일시금, money paid back when you leave Korea) does not apply either. Nepal is not on the list of countries eligible for the lump-sum refund given by 국민연금공단 (countries with a social security agreement and reciprocity countries).
• In 2026, the National Pension premium rate went up from 9% to 9.5%. Workers who must join pay half, and the employer pays half (4.75% each).
• The list of countries can change. Please check which group your nationality belongs to by calling 국민연금공단 at 1355.

How to read your pay slip (급여명세서)

From November 19, 2021, the employer must give you a pay statement every time they pay your wages (Labor Standards Act, Article 48, Paragraph 2). It can be on paper or in electronic form.

The statement must include the following:

1. Information that identifies the worker (name, date of birth, etc.)
2. Pay date and total wages
3. The amount for each part of your pay, such as basic pay, allowances and bonuses
4. How items that change with working hours are calculated
5. The amount of each deduction and the total deductions

These are the names you usually see in the deductions section:

Name on the statement	What it is
건강보험	National Health Insurance premium (worker's share)
장기요양보험	Premium added based on the health insurance premium
고용보험	Unemployment benefit premium (worker's share)
국민연금	Pension premium (if you must join)
소득세, 지방소득세	Taxes
기숙사비, 식대	Can be deducted only with your written consent

The worker does not pay the Industrial Accident Insurance premium, so it must not appear in the deductions section.

Things to be careful about

• As a rule, wages must be paid in full (Labor Standards Act, Article 43). The employer cannot take money out as they wish, except for items set by law or by a collective agreement (an agreement between a union and the employer).
• If the employer does not give a pay statement, leaves out items, or writes false information, they can be fined up to 5,000,000 원 (administrative fine).
• Deducting housing and meal costs requires the worker's written consent. Costs that change, such as electricity and gas, should as a rule be settled later based on the actual amount used.
• If you cannot understand your pay statement, take a photo of it and ask for help at 1345 or 1350.

Steps to check if money was deducted wrongly

1. Get your pay statement. If the employer does not give it, ask for it.
2. Write down the amount of each deduction.
3. Check directly with the insurance agency: Health Insurance 1577-1000 (foreigners 033-811-2000), National Pension 1355, Employment and Industrial Accident Insurance 1588-0075. Ask if the amount actually reported is the same as the amount on your statement.
4. If the amounts are different or there is a deduction with no reason, get advice from 고용노동부 at 1350. You can file a complaint (진정) with your local Regional Employment and Labor Office.
5. If you need to go to court, you can get free legal help from 대한법률구조공단 (Korea Legal Aid Corporation) at 132.

Frequently asked questions

Q. My company says it did not register me for the 4 major insurances. A. For Industrial Accident Insurance and Health Insurance, you do not lose your rights as a worker even if you were not registered. Ask each agency to check whether you are registered.

Q. National Pension is being taken out of my monthly pay. A. You may need to join, depending on your nationality and visa status. Call 1355 and check your membership record.

Q. Are severance pay and the 4 major insurances different things? A. Yes, they are different. 퇴직금 (severance pay) is not insurance. For E-9 workers, as a rule, it is paid through the 출국만기보험 (departure guarantee insurance).

Q. If I ask for advice, will my company find out? A. You can check your records with an agency just by proving your identity. If you file a complaint, the company will find out. But it is forbidden to treat you unfairly for that reason.

Where to get help

• 고용노동부 1350 / 고용24 (Work24) work24.go.kr
• 근로복지공단 1588-0075 / comwel.or.kr
• 국민건강보험공단 1577-1000, foreigners 033-811-2000 / nhis.or.kr
• 국민연금공단 1355 / nps.or.kr
• 외국인종합안내센터 (Immigration Contact Center) 1345