Korean Job Discussion Forums

[iamthecheese86]

I've been looking around a lot and can't find an answer to this anywhere. Employer is saying health insurance is the normal wage, around 5% with them paying half, but there's some 10% extra for being covered by the government or something, because we then have to pay into comprehensive coverage by the government, or something. He says we don't have to do it and then we're just paying 3.3% for taxes and 4.5% for the pension and then we won't be covered by health insurance. I'm not looking for people to say "he is screwing you," all I want to know is if anyone has ever heard this figure before and if it comes from anywhere. Anyone who works in a hagwon, what is your usual net pay? After taxes, pension, health insurance, and anything extra...and what is the extra if it exists?

[OculisOrbis]

That figure doesnt exist.

If he is charging you 3.3% in tax, he is likely trying to claim that you are an independent contractor and not an employee. (illegal under E-2 circumstances)

By doing this, he believes he can make you responsible for the entirety of the pension and health insurance payments and put the onus on you for registering yourself and making the full contribution with no employer contribution.

The strange thing is that he is making the deduction for pension (likely pocketing that cash without submitting it) and claiming you are responsible for health insurance (usually somewhat linked - your employer registers you for one, the other is triggered).

I know you didnt want to hear this, but you are getting screwed. It's up to you to contact the tax, pension and health insurance offices to get it sorted.

Your tax should be 1-3% if youre earning the average foreign teacher salary, your contribution to the pension is 4.5% and your contribution to the national health insurance is approx 2.54%. Your pension and health contribution should be matched by your employer. See the relevant websites to confirm.