Korea Unemployment Benefit Calculator — Job-Seeking Benefit
Calculate Korean unemployment benefit — daily amount, benefit days and total — from pay, insured period and age.
2026 job-seeking benefit: how it is set
- Daily benefit = average daily wage × 60% (Employment Insurance Act, Art. 46). The average wage is the total pay for the three months before leaving divided by the number of days in those three months.
- Cap ₩68,100 — Enforcement Decree, Art. 68: if the daily wage exceeds ₩113,500 it is treated as ₩113,500, and the benefit is 60% of that.
- Floor ₩66,048 — the minimum wage of ₩10,320 × 8 hours a day × 80% (Act, Art. 45(4) and Art. 46). If your scheduled working day is shorter than 8 hours, the floor is lowered in proportion.
- The benefit period (prescribed benefit days) depends on how long you were covered by employment insurance and on your age (Act, Annex 1).
| Coverage period | Under 50 | 50 or older, or with a disability |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year | 120 days | 120 days |
| 1 year to under 3 years | 150 days | 180 days |
| 3 years to under 5 years | 180 days | 210 days |
| 5 years to under 10 years | 210 days | 240 days |
| 10 years or more | 240 days | 270 days |
Examples by monthly pay — 2 years of coverage, under 50 (150 days)
| Average monthly pay before leaving | Daily benefit | One month (30 days) | Estimated total (150 days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₩1,500,000 | ₩66,048 (floor) | ₩1,981,440 | ₩9,907,200 |
| ₩2,000,000 | ₩66,048 (floor) | ₩1,981,440 | ₩9,907,200 |
| ₩2,500,000 | ₩66,048 (floor) | ₩1,981,440 | ₩9,907,200 |
| ₩3,000,000 | ₩66,048 (floor) | ₩1,981,440 | ₩9,907,200 |
| ₩4,000,000 | ₩68,100 (cap) | ₩2,043,000 | ₩10,215,000 |
| ₩5,000,000 | ₩68,100 (cap) | ₩2,043,000 | ₩10,215,000 |
The table is calculated with the same function as the calculator on this page. At a monthly wage of about ₩3,348,267 or less the daily amount is the floor of ₩66,048; at about ₩3,452,292 or more it is the cap of ₩68,100. Only between those two is it exactly 60% of the average wage.
What you need to receive it
- Insured unit periods adding up to at least 180 days in the 18 months before you left (Art. 40).
- You must be willing and able to work but unable to find a job, and actively look for work.
- The separation must be involuntary — leaving voluntarily, or being dismissed for serious fault, is restricted (Art. 58). A voluntary separation with a justified reason, such as unpaid wages or workplace harassment, can still be recognized.
- You can receive the benefit for the prescribed number of days within 12 months from the day after you left (Art. 48).
What this calculation does not include
- The 7-day waiting period, the job-search checks on each recognition day, and reductions or suspension if you work or earn income while receiving the benefit.
- If the average wage is lower than the ordinary wage, the ordinary wage is the standard. This calculator approximates the daily wage from the monthly average over 365 days (monthly pay × 12 ÷ 365).
- Employment insurance for daily workers, artists, workers who provide labor under service contracts and the self-employed uses different formulas and benefit days.
- Foreign nationals — whether you are covered by employment insurance, and so whether you can claim this benefit, depends on your visa type and on whether you enrolled. This page assumes you are covered and does not decide that. Ask the Employment Center (call 1350) before you rely on the figures.
Basis: National Law Information Center — Employment Insurance Act, Arts. 40, 45, 46, 48 and 50 and Annex 1; Enforcement Decree of the Employment Insurance Act, Art. 68 (the version in force in 2026, checked October 2026); the 2026 minimum wage notice of the Ministry of Employment and Labor. This is an estimate; whether you qualify and the actual amount are decided by the Employment Center (1350).
Frequently asked questions
Can I not receive it if I quit voluntarily?
In principle no, but a voluntary separation with a justified reason — unpaid wages, workplace harassment, a very difficult commute and similar — can be recognized as involuntary. The Employment Center judges the reason for leaving.
Where can I check my coverage period?
You can check your enrolment history on the employment insurance website or at an Employment Center. If you worked at several companies the periods are added together. Periods for which you already received unemployment benefit are subtracted.
How much do I get if my pay was low?
At a monthly wage of about ₩3,348,267 or less the daily amount is the floor of ₩66,048. On an 8-hour day even a wage of ₩1,500,000 a month falls on the floor, so you receive ₩1,981,440 per 30 days (a shorter working day lowers the floor further). Because the floor is close to the cap, only monthly wages between ₩3,348,267 and ₩3,452,292 give exactly 60%.
Is what I enter saved?
No. The calculation happens only in your browser; nothing is sent to a server or stored.
I am a foreign national. Can I claim unemployment benefit?
It depends on whether you were covered by employment insurance, which depends on your visa type and whether you enrolled. This page only calculates the amount if you qualify. Ask the Employment Center (call 1350) whether you can claim.
Where do I apply?
You apply through the Employment Center after you leave a job. The center decides whether you qualify and then confirms your job search regularly while you receive the benefit. Call 1350 to find the right center.
Why does the benefit period change with my age and coverage?
The number of benefit days comes straight from a table in the Act: the longer you were insured, the more days you receive, and people who are 50 or older, or have a disability, receive more days at every level. For example, with 2 years of coverage you receive 150 days if you are under 50 and 180 days if you are 50 or older.
More free tools
Add it to your home screen and it opens like an app — after the first visit it works offline too. What you type never leaves your device.