2026 Minimum Wage in Korea: Hourly Rate, Monthly Pay & Take-Home Amount Explained

2026 Minimum Wage in Korea: Hourly Rate, Monthly Pay & Take-Home Amount at a Glance

How Much Did the 2026 Minimum Wage Increase?

The Minimum Wage Commission (최저임금위원회) announces the following year's minimum wage by August 5 each year under Article 8 of the Minimum Wage Act (최저임금법 제8조). The minimum wage applicable in 2026 is ₩10,030 per hour, an increase of approximately 1.7% from the previous year. Applying the standard monthly scheduled working hours of 209 hours (based on a 40-hour workweek), the monthly minimum wage is ₩2,096,270.

The increase rate is in the low single digits, but the minimum wage carries significance beyond a simple number. Article 6 of the Minimum Wage Act (제6조) requires employers to pay at least the minimum wage amount; violations are subject to imprisonment of up to 3 years or a fine of up to ₩20 million under Article 28 of the same Act (제28조).

Note for foreign workers: Your employment contract may specify wages above the statutory minimum, but it cannot fall below it.

Scope of Inclusion in the Minimum Wage: Which Allowances Count?

Following the 2019 amendment to the Minimum Wage Act, certain allowances are now included within the minimum wage calculation scope. Under the current standard, wages paid regularly at least once a month are in principle included. However, the following items are excluded:

In other words, even if the base salary is low, bonuses or welfare benefits that exceed a certain ratio are reflected when determining whether the minimum wage is met. Employers must carefully review their wage composition items.

Standards for Probationary Workers and Part-Time Workers

Probationary workers: If a worker has signed a labor contract of 1 year or more and the probationary period is within 3 months, a reduction of up to 90% of the minimum wage is permitted under Article 5, Paragraph 2 of the Minimum Wage Act (최저임금법 제5조 제2항). However, this reduction does not apply to workers in simple manual labor occupations (as classified under the Korean Standard Classification of Occupations).

Part-time workers (단시간 근로자): The same hourly minimum wage applies equally. If a part-time worker works 15 hours or more per week, a weekly holiday allowance (주휴수당) must also be paid separately, meaning the actual hourly labor cost to the employer is higher than the minimum wage alone.

How to Check for Minimum Wage Violations

If you have received a wage statement (임금명세서) — which employers are required to provide under Article 48 of the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법 제48조) — verify compliance in the following order:

  1. Calculate monthly scheduled working hours (weekly scheduled hours × 52/12 + weekly holiday hours)
  2. Sum the wages that fall within the inclusion scope
  3. Total ÷ scheduled working hours = converted hourly rate
  4. Check whether the converted hourly rate ≥ ₩10,030

If you suspect a violation, you may file a complaint with the Ministry of Employment and Labor Customer Consultation Center (고용노동부 고객상담센터) at 1350 (no area code required) or at your local Regional Employment and Labor Office (지방고용노동청).

What Is the Actual Take-Home Amount?

The actual take-home pay for a worker earning the minimum wage is determined after deducting the four major social insurance premiums and income tax. Based on a monthly wage of ₩2,096,270, deductions include National Pension (국민연금) at 4.5%, Health Insurance (건강보험) at 3.545%, and Employment Insurance (고용보험) at 0.9%, among others. The final take-home amount varies depending on individual circumstances.

For an accurate take-home amount, try the Bylaw (workbylaw.com) Annual Salary Take-Home Calculator. It automatically calculates the amount for each deduction item and also supports employment contract review and wage-related complaint drafting through its AI features.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific cases, consult a certified labor attorney (노무사) or lawyer.