Most hagwon owners treat teachers fairly — this guide isn’t about blame. It’s so that you know your rights in plain numbers, and the exact, calm steps to take if pay is late or something goes wrong.
A rights and what-to-do guide for foreign English teachers in Korea, from OK Recruiting, a Korea-based recruiter (since 2006). General information, current as of 2026 — not legal advice.
Your rights, in numbers
These are set by Korean law and apply regardless of your nationality. A few depend on the size of the workplace — noted where they do.
| Right | The number | Basis & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | ₩10,320/hr | 2026 rate (₩2,156,880/month at 209 hrs). All workplaces, all nationalities. |
| Wage payment | Monthly, in full | Paid at least once a month, in full, directly to you (Labor Standards Act §43). |
| Final pay | 14 days | Final salary and severance due within 14 days of leaving (§36). |
| Dismissal notice | 30 days | 30 days’ notice or 30 days’ pay (§26). Applies even at small schools; exception if employed under 3 months. |
| Severance pay | 30 days’ pay / yr | After 1+ year at 15+ hrs/week (Retirement Benefit Act §9). All workplace sizes. |
| Paid annual leave | 15 days | After a year at 80%+ attendance (§60). Note: workplaces with under 5 employees are exempt. |
| Weekly rest | 1 paid day | At least one paid day off per week (§55). Applies to small workplaces too. |
The “under 5 employees” exemptions matter for small hagwons: annual paid leave and workplace-bullying rules don’t apply below that threshold, but minimum wage, wage payment, severance, dismissal notice, and weekly rest all still do.
The job-transfer rule, stated straight
You may have read that you can “change schools without your employer’s consent.” That’s a limited exception, not the general rule — and getting it backwards can get you in trouble.
The rule: on an E-2 visa, you change workplaces by filing a report with immigration, and that report normally needs a Letter of Release (your employer’s written consent).
The exception: when leaving is your employer’s fault — unpaid wages, business closure, or documented mistreatment — you can be allowed to transfer without that consent, by showing evidence and going through immigration. It’s an exception you earn with proof, not a right you assert. Whether a given situation qualifies is decided case by case, so confirm with the immigration contact center (1345) first.
If your pay is late: the exact path
Wage payment is a legal obligation, and the Ministry of Employment and Labor — not immigration — enforces it.
- Keep records: your contract, pay slips, bank/app screenshots, and your own record of hours worked.
- Ask in writing for a confirmed payment date (Kakao or email — keep the thread).
- Call for advice: the Ministry of Employment and Labor at 1350, or 1577-0071 for counseling in English and other languages.
- File a complaint (진정) at your local labor office or online at labor.moel.go.kr. A labor inspector investigates; if arrears are confirmed, the employer is ordered to pay.
- If you’ve left the job, unpaid wages and severance become due 14 days after your last day — a clear starting point for a complaint.
Copy-paste first note: “Hello, I noticed my [Month] salary hasn’t arrived. Could you please confirm the full payment date in writing today? Thank you.”
Harassment and safety
- Safety first. If there’s violence or a threat, call 112 (police).
- Write down what happened — date, time, place, people, exact words or actions, witnesses.
- Keep everything in writing and save screenshots.
- Get support using the hotlines below.
Sexual harassment protections (Equal Employment Act §12, §14) apply at workplaces of every size, and the law bars any disadvantage against the person who reports. Workplace bullying rules (§76-2) apply at workplaces with 5 or more employees.
Red flags worth documenting early
Keep these private, and share only when you need to. If a problem starts, this file is what protects you:
- Contract pages covering pay, hours, overtime, and holidays
- Bank-transfer screenshots and pay slips
- Your own attendance / hours log
- Message and email screenshots, with date and time
- Names of any witnesses
- Short incident notes: when, where, what, who, and how it affected you
Who actually answers which phone
Different problems go to different agencies. Save the ones that fit your situation:
| Call | Who | For |
|---|---|---|
| 112 | Police | Assault, threats, emergencies |
| 119 | Fire & ambulance | Medical emergencies |
| 1350 | Ministry of Employment & Labor | Unpaid wages, working conditions, labor law |
| 1577-0071 | Foreign Workers’ Counseling | Labor issues in English & other languages |
| 1345 | Immigration Contact Center | Visa, stay, and workplace-change reporting |
| 1366 | Women’s Emergency Hotline | Domestic or sexual violence, 24 hours |
| 1577-1366 | Danuri Helpline | Migrant support, multilingual, 24 hours |
| 1577-1295 | Crime Victim Support | Support for victims of crime |
| 132 | Korea Legal Aid Corporation | Free legal counseling |
Reporting is protected: seeking help or filing a complaint should not lead to retaliation, and doing so does not harm your visa status.
Where this guide stops
This is general information, not legal advice. Individual cases — whether a specific situation counts as employer fault, borderline “under 5 employees” head-counts, an unfair-dismissal challenge, or a severance dispute — turn on their facts. For those, talk to a certified labor attorney (노무사) or administrative scrivener (행정사), or get free counseling from the Korea Legal Aid Corporation (132).
Frequently asked questions
Can I change schools on an E-2 visa without my employer’s consent?
Normally no. Changing workplaces on an E-2 visa requires a report to immigration, and in practice that report needs a Letter of Release from your current employer. The exception is when your employer is at fault — unpaid wages, closure, or documented mistreatment — where you can be allowed to transfer without consent, but you must show evidence and go through immigration (call 1345 first).
What do I do if my salary is late in Korea?
Keep records, ask for a payment date in writing, then call the Ministry of Employment and Labor at 1350 (or 1577-0071 for English). If it isn’t resolved, file a complaint at your local labor office or online at labor.moel.go.kr. The labor office — not immigration — enforces wage payment.
I finished my contract. When must the school pay everything I’m owed?
Within 14 days of your last day, including final salary and severance pay (Labor Standards Act §36; Retirement Benefit Act §9). After day 14, unpaid amounts count as wage arrears you can file over.
Do foreign teachers get severance pay in Korea?
Yes, if you worked at least one continuous year at 15 or more hours per week: a minimum of 30 days’ average wages per year worked, regardless of how small the school is. It can’t be waived by contract.
Can my hagwon dismiss me without notice?
The school must give 30 days’ notice or 30 days’ pay instead (§26), even at small hagwons, unless you’ve worked under three months. Whether a dismissal was legally unfair can be challenged at the Labor Relations Commission only if the school has five or more employees; for smaller schools, consult a labor attorney.
Will reporting my school get me in trouble?
No. Korean law prohibits employers from firing or disadvantaging you for reporting violations, and the same protection covers sexual-harassment reports. Filing a wage complaint does not harm your visa status — documented employer fault is actually what makes a workplace transfer possible.
Sources: Labor Standards Act §§26, 36, 43, 54, 55, 60, 76-2 and Retirement Benefit Act §9 via law.go.kr; wage-complaint procedure via the Ministry of Employment and Labor (labor.moel.go.kr); 2026 minimum wage via the Ministry of Employment and Labor. As of 2026.
Disclaimer: General information, not legal advice. Rules involving workplace size, employer-fault recognition, and dismissal disputes are decided case by case — consult a certified labor attorney (노무사) or the Korea Legal Aid Corporation (132) for your situation.
