Practical changes for life in Korea: what changed, when it applies and where to check the official information.
The official annual table lists ₩10,700 per hour for 1 January–31 December 2027. Keep the pay period separate from the announcement date.
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Children and pregnant women start on September 21; older adults follow in age groups from October 6.
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A conditional pilot runs in 89 depopulation areas from May 18, 2026 to December 31, 2027.
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The Bộ Việc làm và Lao động officially promulgated the minimum wage for 2026 at 10,320 KRW per hour (2,156,880 KRW monthly for 209 hours), applying equally to foreign and domestic workers across all sectors.
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The Bộ Tư pháp commenced official digital mobile Alien Registration verification through the HiHàn Quốc portal and government-approved identity apps, enabling secure identity proof without carrying physical cards.
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The Bộ Việc làm và Lao động allocated additional E-9 non-professional employment thị thực visa quotas to resolve acute regional labor shortages in manufacturing, shipbuilding, and agro-fisheries.
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The National Fire Agency connected emergency response dispatchers directly with professional 24/7 interpreters, ensuring immediate medical triage when foreign nationals call 119 during acute health emergencies.
The 1345 Contact Center under the Bộ Tư pháp provides multilingual counseling on thị thực visa renewals, alien registration, and permanent residency in 20 languages on weekdays from 09:00 to 18:00.
An ongoing guide to workplace coverage, local enrollment and conditional student contribution reductions.
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