Korean Social Insurance Rates for 2026: Employee Deductions Explained
The 2026 employee and employer rates for Korea’s National Pension, health, long-term care and employment insurance, with calculation examples.
- Employees pay 4.75% for National Pension, 3.595% for health insurance and 0.9% for employment insurance in 2026.
- Long-term care is calculated from the health-insurance premium, not directly from salary.
- A real payslip can differ from a salary-times-rate estimate because each program defines its contribution base differently.
Korea’s four major insurances are not one flat payroll tax. National Pension, health insurance, long-term care, employment insurance and industrial accident insurance each use a separate rate and base. The employee and employer also do not carry the same total cost.
2026 workplace contribution rates
| Program | Total | Employee | Employer |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Pension | 9.5% | 4.75% | 4.75% |
| Health insurance | 7.19% | 3.595% | 3.595% |
| Long-term care | 13.14% of health premium | Half | Half |
| Employment insurance unemployment benefits | 1.8% | 0.9% | 0.9% |
| Industrial accident insurance | Industry-specific | — | Full amount |
What changed in 2026
National Pension is the headline change. The combined workplace rate rose from 9% to 9.5%, moving the employee share from 4.5% to 4.75%. The scheduled path adds 0.5 percentage points a year until the combined rate reaches 13% in 2033.
Health insurance remains 7.19% in total, split equally. Employees still pay 0.9% for the unemployment-benefit portion of employment insurance. Employers match that rate and fund additional employment-stabilization and vocational-development programs.
Example: a ₩4 million contribution base
| Employee deduction | Calculation | Approximate amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Pension | ₩4,000,000 × 4.75% | ₩190,000 |
| Health insurance | ₩4,000,000 × 3.595% | ₩143,800 |
| Long-term care | ₩143,800 × 13.14% | ₩18,895 |
| Employment insurance | ₩4,000,000 × 0.9% | ₩36,000 |
| Total | About ₩388,695 |
This example covers social insurance only. Earned-income tax and local income tax come out separately. Payroll rounding can also move the final amount slightly.
Why gross pay and the contribution base differ
Payroll uses monthly remuneration or standard monthly income, not necessarily the gross total at the top of the payslip. Eligible tax-exempt items may be excluded. National Pension also has a lower and upper bound, so contributions stop rising after income reaches the ceiling.
Why the employer’s total is higher
Employers match the core employee contributions, then pay industrial accident insurance and additional employment-insurance charges. Industrial accident rates differ by industry because an office and a construction site do not carry the same insured risk.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an employee pay into Korea’s social insurance programs in 2026?
For a standard workplace subscriber, the employee rates are 4.75% for National Pension, 3.595% for health insurance and 0.9% for employment insurance. Long-term care is 13.14% of the health-insurance premium.
Does the employer pay the same amount?
The employer matches the main employee shares, then also pays industrial accident insurance and additional employment-related contributions. The exact total varies by company size and industry.
Are the rates applied to gross salary?
Not always. Eligible tax-exempt pay can be excluded, and National Pension uses standard monthly income with a floor and ceiling.