Labour glossary

If a word is unfamiliar, ask before signing. 1350 can explain in your language.

Pay terms

• Base pay (기본급) — the core wage, used as the basis for calculating allowances.
• Ordinary wage (통상임금) — pay given regularly and uniformly; the basis for many allowances.
• Average wage (평균임금) — the average over a set period; the basis for severance and more.
• Overtime, night and holiday allowances — premium payments. See overtime-pay.
• Weekly holiday allowance (주휴수당) — paid holiday pay when you complete the week's scheduled days. See weekly-holiday-pay.
• All-inclusive wage (포괄임금) — a fixed sum bundling several allowances. Record your actual hours.
• Deductions (공제) — what is taken from your pay (tax, insurance). See wage-deductions.
• Take-home pay (실수령액) — what you actually receive after deductions.

Time terms

• Contracted hours (소정근로시간) — the working hours set in your contract.
• Overtime (연장근로) — work beyond contracted hours.
• Rest break (휴게시간) — free rest during working hours; unpaid. See lunch-break-rules.
• Weekly holiday (주휴일) — the paid holiday given each week.
• Annual paid leave (연차유급휴가) — leave that accrues once criteria are met. See annual-leave.

Contract and status terms

• Employment contract — the document setting out your conditions; must be given in writing.
• Workplace rules (취업규칙) — the company's internal rules, which set working conditions.
• Probation (수습·시용) — an initial assessment period. There are rules on pay — check with 1350.
• Fixed-term worker (기간제) — an employee on a defined contract period.
• Dispatch and subcontracting — where your employer and your actual workplace differ. See dispatch-worker and subcontract-issues.

Termination and dispute terms

• Dismissal (해고) — the company ending the relationship unilaterally. See unfair-dismissal.
• Recommended resignation (권고사직) — being urged to resign. Take advice before signing.
• Severance pay (퇴직금) — payable once criteria are met. See severance-pay.
• Complaint (진정) — asking the labour office for a remedy. See wage-claim-labor-office.
• Remedy application (구제신청) — contesting unfair dismissal at the Labour Relations Commission. See mediation-labor.
• Industrial accident (산재) — a work-related injury or illness. See industrial-accident-basics.

Where to go

• 1350 Ministry of Employment and Labour (counselling in 20 languages)
• 1577-0071 Foreign Workforce Support Centre
• 1588-0075 Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service
• 132 Korea Legal Aid Corporation
• Local migrant workers' support centres

Take care

Don't simply believe "sign the resignation and you'll get unemployment benefit". It depends on the case, and once signed it is hard to undo. One phone call to 1350 before signing anything settles it.

Related

labor-standards-basics · employment-contract · payslip · unfair-dismissal · employer-obligations

Source

Ministry of Employment and Labour www.moel.go.kr / As of 2026-08