Korean Social Insurance Rates for 2026: Employee Deductions Explained
Your Korean payslip shows 4.75% taken for the National Pension in 2026. How is each insurance deduction calculated, and why is your employer's share larger?
Korea’s four main social insurance programs are National Pension, health insurance, employment insurance and industrial accident insurance. Each has its own contribution rate and calculation base. Long-term care adds a separate premium calculated as a percentage of the health-insurance premium, which is why the table below has five rows. Employers and employees also pay different total amounts.
2026 contribution rates for employees and employers
| 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
The main change is the National Pension increase. The combined workplace rate rose from 9% to 9.5%, moving the employee share from 4.5% to 4.75%. Scheduled increases add 0.5 percentage points a year until the combined rate reaches 13% in 2033.
Health insurance also increased: the combined rate rose from 7.09% in 2025 to 7.19% in 2026. The employee and employer shares each rose from 3.545% to 3.595%. The NHIS contribution-rate history lists the 2025 rate, while its 2026 increase notice gives the new rate and the equal split. These rates were checked on November 2, 2026.
The employee rate for the unemployment-benefit portion of employment insurance is unchanged from 2025 at 0.9%. Employers match that rate and fund additional employment-stabilization and vocational-development programs, as explained in Work24’s employment-insurance guidance.
Example: deductions on a ₩4 million monthly 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 calculates contributions using each program’s monthly remuneration or standard monthly income figure. That figure can differ from gross pay because eligible tax-exempt items may be excluded. National Pension also applies a floor and ceiling to standard monthly income, so its contributions stop rising once 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 employee covered through work, the employee rates are 4.75% for National Pension, 3.595% for health insurance and 0.9% for employment insurance. The employee’s long-term care contribution is 13.14% of their health-insurance contribution.
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.