🌴 Korea Annual Leave Pay Calculator
Find out how many paid annual leave days (연차, yeoncha) you have earned since your start date, and how much your unused days are worth in cash.
Pay for unused annual leave
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How to use it
- Enter your start date and a reference date — today, or your last day if you are leaving.
- Enter your monthly ordinary wage: base salary plus allowances paid every month at a fixed amount. Leave out performance bonuses and expense reimbursements.
- Keep 209 hours for a standard 40-hour week (use 183 for 35 hours, 104 for 20 hours).
- Enter the number of leave days you haven't used. Half days are allowed.
How many leave days you earn in Korea
| Length of service | Paid annual leave |
|---|---|
| Under 1 year | 1 day for each month of full attendance, up to 11 days |
| 1 year (80%+ attendance) | 15 days |
| 3 years | 16 days |
| 5 years | 17 days |
| … +1 day every 2 years | up to 25 days |
These are minimums under the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법, Article 60). Your employer can give more, but not less.
Unused leave pay formula
Leave pay = daily ordinary wage × unused days
- Ordinary hourly wage = monthly ordinary wage ÷ contractual monthly hours (209 for a 40-hour week).
- Daily ordinary wage = hourly wage × daily contractual hours (usually 8).
- Example: ₩3,000,000 ÷ 209 = ₩14,354/hour → ₩114,833/day → 5 unused days = ₩574,163.
Tips
- Leaving your job — all unused leave must be paid out at separation. It also feeds into severance pay (3/12 of the leave pay received in the past year).
- Leave promotion system (연차사용촉진) — if your employer formally asked you in writing to use your leave and you didn't, they may not have to pay for the unused days.
- Fiscal-year counting — some companies grant leave on 1 January for everyone instead of on each work anniversary. On leaving, you are entitled to whichever method gives you more.
- Small workplaces — annual leave rules apply to workplaces with 5 or more regular employees.
Estimate for reference. Company rules, collective agreements and the leave promotion system can change the actual payout.
FAQ
How many days of annual leave do I get in my first year in Korea?
One day for every month you work with full attendance, up to 11 days in the first year. After one year with 80%+ attendance you get 15 days.
Can I get paid for unused annual leave when I quit?
Yes. Unused leave must be paid out when you leave, at your daily ordinary wage per day, unless the employer properly ran the leave promotion system.
Do foreign workers get the same annual leave?
Yes. The Labor Standards Act applies to all workers in Korea regardless of nationality, so foreign employees earn exactly the same leave and leave pay.
Does a company with fewer than 5 employees have to give annual leave?
No. The statutory annual leave rules apply to workplaces with 5 or more regular employees. Smaller employers may still offer leave in the contract or company rules.
How much is one day of leave worth?
Divide your monthly ordinary wage by 209 (for a 40-hour week) and multiply by 8. On ₩3,000,000 a month that is about ₩114,800 per day.