Korean employment contract

How it works

1. Choose open-ended or fixed term. The heading and clause 1 change with it.
2. Fill in the work, the hours, the rest day and the pay.
3. Tick the four insurances that apply.
4. Download and print two copies — one for each side — and sign both.

Frequently asked questions

Why is there a standard form at all?

Because article 17 of the 근로기준법 requires the employer to put the main terms in writing and to hand the worker a copy — whether or not the worker asks. Clause 9 of the form says exactly that. The Ministry publishes the standard wording so that neither side has to draft it.

What happens if there is no written contract?

The employer is in breach and can be fined, and the worker is left arguing about what was agreed. That asymmetry is why the form exists and why it is worth insisting on one before the first day rather than after a dispute.

Open-ended or fixed term?

Open-ended unless the work genuinely ends on a date. A fixed term needs an end date in clause 1, and repeatedly renewing short fixed terms for the same continuing job is the thing labour inspectors look at.

Which insurances go on it?

The four: 고용보험, 산재보험, 국민연금 and 건강보험. 산재보험 applies from the first worker with no exceptions worth relying on; the other three depend on hours and on the type of work, so tick what applies rather than all four out of habit.

Is this legal advice?

No. It is the published standard form as a PDF. For a contract with unusual terms, or one you are unsure about, ask a 노무사 or a lawyer.