Employment overview in South Korea
Hiring in South Korea requires a registered local employer to handle payroll, taxes, and statutory benefits. With Expand EOR, our local entity becomes the legal employer — so you can hire any candidate in South Korea without setting up your own subsidiary.
The local currency is KRW and the standard payroll cycle is monthly. The official working language is Korean, and contracts must comply with South Korea employment law.
Key employment laws in South Korea
- Working hours40 hrs/week (52 max)
- Probation period3 months
- Notice period30 days
- Paid annual leave11–25 days
- Public holidays15
- Minimum wageKRW 9,860/hr
Payroll, taxes, and benefits in South Korea
Payroll in South Korea runs monthly. Employers are responsible for income tax withholding, social security contributions, and any mandatory benefits.
Estimated employer cost on top of gross salary: ~10–11% on top of gross. Expand EOR handles all calculations, deductions, and statutory filings on your behalf.
Estimated cost of hiring in South Korea
Total cost = gross salary + employer contributions (~10–11% on top of gross) + EOR fee starting at $299/month. There are no setup fees, no hidden charges, and no per-country surprises.
Get an exact quoteWhy use an EOR in South Korea?
- Hire in South Korea in days — without registering a local entity (which can take months and cost $15,000+).
- Stay 100% compliant with South Korea employment, tax, and labour law.
- Pay employees in KRW on time, every cycle.
- Provide compliant local benefits and a great employee experience.
- Avoid permanent establishment risk and misclassification penalties.
Ready to hire in South Korea?
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