How shift work pay is calculated in Korea
Under the Korean Labor Standards Act, hours over 8 a day or 40 a week are overtime (연장근로) and paid at 150% of your ordinary hourly wage. Work between 10 pm and 6 am is night work (야간근로) and gets an extra 50%. Work on public or weekly holidays is holiday work (휴일근로): 150% up to 8 hours and 200% beyond. When overtime and night work overlap, both extras apply.
| Type | When | Pay (of ordinary hourly wage) |
|---|---|---|
| Overtime (연장) | Over 8h/day or 40h/week | 150% |
| Night (야간) | 22:00 – 06:00 | +50% |
| Holiday (휴일) | Up to 8h / over 8h | 150% / 200% |
| Overtime + night | e.g. early-morning overtime on night shift | 200% |
The minimum wage is 10,320 KRW per hour in 2026 and 10,700 KRW in 2027. Companies with fewer than 5 employees do not have to pay the extra rates.
FAQ
Does this work for EPS (E-9) workers?
Yes. EPS workers have the same minimum wage, overtime, night and holiday pay rules as Korean workers.
My night shift goes into a public holiday. How is it counted?
Holiday work counts only the hours between 0:00 and 24:00 on the holiday. If your night shift starts the evening before, only the hours after midnight are holiday work.
Where is my salary information saved?
Only in the browser on this device. Nothing is sent to a server.