If you are hiring your first people in South Korea, the employment rules are only half of the picture. How teams make decisions, how meetings run, what people expect from working hours, leave and benefits, and how a manager gives feedback all shape whether a new hire settles in. This guide covers the points overseas employers ask us about most, with the legal rules that sit behind them.
Hierarchy and decision-making
Korean workplaces have traditionally been hierarchical. Job titles carry weight, seniority matters, and people often address each other by title rather than by name. Many companies, especially in technology, have flattened their structures and use English names or a single honorific for everyone, but the instinct to defer to senior colleagues remains strong.
For an overseas manager this has two practical effects. First, a new hire may not push back in a meeting even when they disagree, so ask for views directly, in smaller settings or in writing. Second, decisions are often prepared through informal consultation before a formal meeting. If you want a real discussion, share the proposal early and let people respond before the meeting.
Meetings, communication and feedback
- Be specific about what you need. State the decision, the deadline and who owns it. Ambiguous requests tend to be read as instructions from above.
- Give feedback privately. Public criticism is uncomfortable for most people; one-to-one conversations work better.
- Expect fast replies. Messaging apps, KakaoTalk above all, are used for work. Agree when people are expected to answer, and when not.
- Use written follow-ups. A short summary after a call helps when English is the working language for one side only.
Working hours and overtime
South Korea has a reputation for long hours, and it has been changing. Since 2018 the Labor Standards Act has set a 52-hour weekly limit: 40 regular hours plus up to 12 hours of overtime, agreed with the employee. Overtime, night work (10 pm to 6 am) and holiday work are paid at least 50% extra, and employees working 15 hours a week or more receive a paid weekly holiday.
In practice, many younger employees expect working hours to be respected, and flexible or hybrid arrangements are common in technology and professional services. If a role involves calls with headquarters in another time zone, agree in advance how those hours are counted and paid. Record working time from the start; it is the basis for overtime pay and for any later dispute.
Leave, holidays and benefits
| Topic | What employees expect |
|---|---|
| Annual leave | 15 days after a year with at least 80% attendance, rising by one day every two years to 25; one day a month during the first year |
| Public holidays | Including Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok, each about three days, when much of the country travels |
| Social insurance | National Pension, health insurance, employment insurance and industrial accident insurance, paid by employer and employee |
| Severance | At least 30 days’ average wages for each year of service after one year, or a retirement pension plan |
| Common extras | Meal allowance, transport support, holiday bonuses around Seollal and Chuseok, health check-ups and team events |
Unused annual leave is generally paid out when it expires or when employment ends, unless the employer has followed the statutory procedure for encouraging employees to use it. Set out your leave policy in the offer.
Hiring, contracts and compliance
Korean employment law expects written terms. Wages, working hours, weekly holidays and annual leave must be set out in writing and given to the employee, and the minimum wage (KRW 10,320 an hour in 2026, KRW 10,700 from 1 January 2027) applies to everyone. Dismissal needs a justifiable reason and written notice, with 30 days’ notice or 30 days’ ordinary wages.
If you hire without a Korean company, one more question matters: who employs the person, and who directs the work. Where one business employs a person who works under another company’s direction, the Worker Dispatch Act applies, with licensing, permitted job types and time limits. Read more on our Employer of Record in South Korea page, and see our South Korea employment law guide for the detail.
Building a team that works across borders
- Set expectations in writing: goals, working hours, response times and how decisions are made.
- Pair each new hire with a colleague who can explain how the company works in practice.
- Invite questions in writing as well as in meetings, and answer them.
- Plan visits around Seollal and Chuseok, when much of the country is on holiday.
- Review pay each year against the market and the new minimum wage, and explain the outcome.
How NNRoad can help
NNRoad helps overseas companies hire in South Korea. We review each role, confirm the arrangement and the employer before any offer, and then run the contract, payroll in won, the four social insurances, year-end tax settlement and severance. Estimate a salary in our South Korea salary and employer cost calculator, or contact us about your hire. We will respond within 24 hours.
Reviewed November 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice.