Annual Leave in Korea — How Many Paid Days Off You Get
Korean annual leave rules for foreign and Korean workers: 11 days in the first year, 15 days after a year, more with seniority, the 80% attendance rule, unused leave pay and public holidays.
Under the Labor Standards Act, workers at companies with 5 or more employees earn paid annual leave (연차, yeoncha). Foreign workers get exactly the same leave as Koreans.
How much leave
| Service | Paid leave |
|---|---|
| First year | 1 day for each month of full attendance, up to 11 days |
| After 1 year (80%+ attendance) | 15 days |
| After 3 years | 16 days |
| After 5 years | 17 days |
| Every 2 more years | +1 day, up to 25 days |
So after your first full year you can have up to 26 days in that period: the 11 days earned monthly in year one, plus 15 days granted at the one-year mark.
The 80% rule
The 15 days are given if you attended at least 80% of working days in the previous year. Days on approved leave, maternity leave or work injury count as attended.
Unused leave
Leave expires one year after it is granted. If you could not use it, your employer must pay an annual leave allowance for the unused days, at your ordinary daily wage, unless the employer formally pushed you to use it in writing (leave use promotion). When you leave the company, all unused leave must be paid.
Public holidays are separate
Since 2022, public holidays such as Chuseok and Lunar New Year are paid days off at all workplaces with 5+ employees, in addition to annual leave. Your employer cannot count them as annual leave unless you agree to swap working days in writing.
Fiscal-year leave
Some companies calculate everyone's leave from 1 January instead of each person's start date. This is allowed, but you must not end up with fewer days than the start-date method gives, and any shortfall must be settled when you leave.
Check your current entitlement with the annual leave calculator.
This guide reflects Korean laws and official notices as of 2026-10-08. Rules change, so confirm with the relevant agency before making important decisions.