Working hours & days
in South Korea.

Q: Is there a maximum amount of overtime annually in South Korea?

Currently, employees in South Korea are limited to 12 hours of overtime per week . At the time of writing, the South Korean government is considering introducing an amendment that would make existing laws on overtime more flexible. The proposal would allow employers and employees to negotiate on whether to count overtime by the week (12 hours allowed); the month (52 hours allowed); the quarter (140 hours allowed); a half year (250 hours allowed); or a full year, (440 hours allowed).

SALARY PAYMENT IN South Korean Won (KRW, ₩)

CONTRACT LANGUAGES Korean / English

PAYROLL TAX 16.43% – 34.94%

PAYROLL CYCLE Monthly

TIME TO HIRE 24 hours
Get Started

Horizons-owned entity with local country experts in Seoul.

We offer fair, scalable, and transparent pricing on South Korea PEO service. Contact us for a cost breakdown

End service in South Korea with no additional penalties or fees.

Including vision, dental, death & disability, travel, and more.

Hire and pay talents
with Horizons in
180+ countries

Get started

South Korea

What are the standard working hours in South Korea?

South Koreans are known for being hard workers and working long hours. The standard working hours are set out by the Labor Standards Act (1997), which imposes an eight-hour working day with a maximum of 40 hours per working week.

In South Korea, the working day usually runs from 9am to 6pm.

What are the standard working days in South Korea?

Monday to Friday/Saturday. Some South Korean companies operate on Saturdays and expect employees to work, either on normal hours or on an overtime rate of pay.

How many hours can you work per week in South Korea?

The Labor Standards Act (1997) covers working hour limits. The LSA limits weekly hours to 52 hours, consisting of 40 standard hours and 12 hours of overtime work.

How many hours is part-time work in South Korea?

Hours worked does not come into the South Korean definition of part-time work. In South Korea, part-time work is considered short-term or temporary jobs where the working hours total less than 40 hours per week.

Part-time employees are entitled to the same working rights as employees who perform the same job full-time.

How many hours is overtime in South Korea?

Generally, an employee can agree to up to an additional 12 hours a week in overtime. The employer must pay an overtime rate of pay of 1.5x ordinary pay.

Is it illegal to work on the weekend in South Korea?

No. Many businesses operate on Saturdays and many employees work standard hours on Saturdays.

Does South Korea have a four-day work?

No. There are no official provisions or amendments relating to a 4-day work week in South Korea.

However, employees are entitled to make a request to reduce their working hours in order to care for their families or themselves. Reduced working hours must total between 15 hours and 30 hours per week, but individual employment contracts may set out specific terms.

Hiring in South Korea, Made Easy

Your business can easily hire employees in South Korea without opening a local entity. We handle local employment law, complex tax regulations, and international payroll in 180+ countries worldwide. All you need to do is focus on your business.

FAQs

Is there a maximum amount of overtime annually in South Korea?

Currently, employees in South Korea are limited to 12 hours of overtime per week. At the time of writing, the South Korean government is considering introducing an amendment that would make existing laws on overtime more flexible. The proposal would allow employers and employees to negotiate on whether to count overtime by the week (12 hours allowed); the month (52 hours allowed); the quarter (140 hours allowed); a half year (250 hours allowed); or a full year, (440 hours allowed).

What is the rate for overtime pay in South Korea?

The overtime rate of pay in South Korea is 1.5x the normal rate of pay.

Success stories from businesses we’ve helped enter and grow in new markets.

Client Testimonials

"As a seed-stage, London-based startup, we were initially hesitant to expand internationally due to the administrative workload involved. Horizons completely took the headache out of the process, allowing us to hire a team of software engineers in Germany."

Gabor SzedlakCo-founder & COO

"I truly appreciated the thoroughness and the professionalism of Horizons personnel while we hired internationally with them. When they advised our international expansion, they spoke confidently and were knowledgable on all subject matters pertaining to international employment."

Gary PaskyVice President of Software Development

"On deciding to begin commercial activities in Asia Pacific, we needed a provider to handle the employment and remuneration of our workforce. With Horizons the result was fast, efficient, and fit-for-purpose. We recommend Horizons as an EOR provider.”

Chris MorrellManaging Director

"The collaboration with the Horizons team is excellent. Both our local employee as well as our HQ in Germany are more than pleased with the support provided and the simplicity of the service. We can highly recommend the Horizons solution to anyone."

Christoph EngelbertCo-Founder & CTO

"We needed an EOR that could provide expert support for payroll in APAC. We are pleased with Horizons’ expertise and the fact that they are flexible, responsive, and easily accessible from Belgium. They were able to provide services within the short timeline we required."

Katia FlamandHuman Resources

Global Benefits

Global Immigration

Talent Acquisition

Global Payroll

Global Mobility

Talent Acquisition

Hire Globally

Switch to Horizons

Subsidiary to EOR

For HR Teams

For Finance Teams

For Legal Teams

Insights

Inside Horizons

Help Center

Support

Global Payroll Calculator

About Horizons

Success Stories

Partner Program

Global Hubs

Careers

Working hours & days
in South Korea.

What are the standard working hours in South Korea?

What are the standard working days in South Korea?

How many hours can you work per week in South Korea?

How many hours is part-time work in South Korea?

How many hours is overtime in South Korea?

Is it illegal to work on the weekend in South Korea?

Does South Korea have a four-day work?

Hiring in South Korea, Made Easy

FAQs

Success stories from businesses we’ve helped enter and grow in new markets.

Client Testimonials

Hire Anywhere. Today.

Working hours & days in South Korea.

What are the standard working hours in South Korea?

What are the standard working days in South Korea?

How many hours can you work per week in South Korea?

How many hours is part-time work in South Korea?

How many hours is overtime in South Korea?

Is it illegal to work on the weekend in South Korea?

Does South Korea have a four-day work?

Hiring in South Korea, Made Easy

FAQs

Success stories from businesses we’ve helped enter and grow in new markets.

Client Testimonials

Hire Anywhere. Today.

Working hours & days
in South Korea.