Korean Job Discussion Forums

Adventurer · Joined: 28 Jan 2006

If you make a base of 2.15 million (I was last year), and I would work Saturdays and often end up with 2.6 million. Is overtime taxed in Korea or not? This table on the tax site seemed to say you pay around 76,000 in taxes if you make 2.6 million. I was paying 87,000 won. I was also paying 88,000 in pension. I have been pretty certain they were paying into my pension, and I had suspicious about the figure, but I suppose after having fought at labour I thought a little skimming which is typical in this country wasn't something I wanted to fight. The last fight was a bit stressful and time consuming. Can I get a tax refund if money was overpaid?

DrunkenMaster · Joined: 04 Feb 2008

Tax for overtime is much higher than the normal tax. But you get a lot of it back at tax return time...as long as you take the time to file your taxes.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Sometimes fees for extra classes come directly to teachers in the form of cash, which isn't taxed. If it's lumped in with your monthly pay-packet it probably is.

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

Also make sure that when you get your severance, it is calculated either on an average of your monthly pay installments over the course of the year, OR on your last three month's salary. Many places simply pay based on the monthly salary, which is wrong. I know of at least one place that was taken to the labour board over this issue and lost.

Let your employers know. Many places are big on 'mandatory overtime' as they see it as a way to save on the expenses associated with hiring more teachers. In the end, if it costs them, they might lay off the pressure to work overtime at subpar rates.