Day One Korea helps foreigners in Korea understand the money and paperwork side of life here: what your salary really pays, which visa step comes next, what your employer owes you when you leave, and how to rent safely.
Most of what you need to know is published only in Korean, spread across government sites written for Korean readers. We read the laws, notices and official guides, then explain them in plain English with worked examples and the Korean terms you'll need when you walk into an office.
Our principles
- Sources on every page. Calculators follow the formula in the law or official table they name, such as the Labor Standards Act, the Employee Retirement Benefit Security Act, the National Pension Act and the income tax withholding table.
- Updated every year. Minimum wage, insurance rates and tax figures are updated each January, and articles carry the date they were last checked.
- Your data stays with you. Calculations run in your browser. We don't send or store the numbers you type.
What we are not
We are not lawyers, tax accountants or an immigration agency. Our results are estimates for planning. For a decision about your own case, confirm with the official office named in each guide, such as the Immigration Contact Center (1345), the labor office (1350) or the National Pension Service (1355).
Who runs this site
Day One Korea is run independently and funded by the ads shown on the site. If you find an error or a rule that has changed, please let us know and we'll fix it.
Last updated: 2026-10-19