How to use the Korea Unemployment Benefit Calculator
- Enter the total wages (before tax) you received in the 3 months before leaving your job and the total number of days in those 3 months. This is usually 90 to 92 days.
- Choose your age, whether you have a disability, and your employment insurance period. These decide the number of benefit days. For a full-time job, leave the scheduled hours per day at 8.
- Use the tabs at the top to switch between Current rules (2026) and Reform plan (proposed). The comparison table below shows both side by side.
- Select the eligibility conditions (180 days of insured period, reason for leaving). If you may not meet the requirements, a notice appears.
How the benefit is calculated
The daily benefit is 60% of your average wage before leaving. The average wage is your total wages for the 3 months before leaving divided by the number of days in that period. A lower limit and an upper limit then apply. The lower limit is 80% of the minimum hourly wage for that year multiplied by the scheduled daily hours (up to 8), which is KRW 10,320 x 80% x 8 hours = KRW 66,048 in 2026. The upper limit is KRW 68,100 in 2026.
The total benefit is the daily benefit multiplied by the number of benefit days. The benefit days depend on your age and employment insurance period: 120 to 240 days if you are under 50, and 120 to 270 days if you are 50 or older or have a disability. The calculator applies the table in the Employment Insurance Act as it is.
What does the reform tab assume?
Based on the plan announced by the government on September 1, 2026, the reform tab uses the 2027 minimum wage of KRW 10,700 to get a lower limit of KRW 68,480 and sets the upper limit at 103% of the lower limit (KRW 70,534). It also reflects the change from a seven-day to a six-day payment week by keeping the daily benefit and the total the same, cutting the monthly payment to 6/7 and stretching the benefit period by 7/6. This gives a monthly upper limit of about KRW 1.81 million and a lower limit of about KRW 1.76 million, in line with press reports.
The reform plan is not yet backed by an amended law or enforcement decree, so it is not a confirmed system. Rounding and the start date may change, so use the result only as a rough guide. Until the law changes, the Current rules (2026) tab reflects what actually applies.
Things to know when reading the result
- In 2026 the lower limit (KRW 66,048) and the upper limit (KRW 68,100) are close, so an average monthly wage of about KRW 3.3 million or less gets the lower limit and about KRW 3.4 million or more gets the upper limit. Most results end up near one of these two amounts.
- The calculator does not reflect the minimum wage at the time you leave, changes to the announced upper limit, or individual review results. The applicable amount can differ depending on your leaving date.
- A legal change to base benefits on pay rather than average wage is planned, but its timing differs, so this calculator uses the current average wage method only.
- Monthly amounts assume 30 days. Actual payments are made in installments after each unemployment recognition day.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of the average wage is the benefit?
The daily job seeker benefit is 60% of your average wage before leaving. A lower limit and an upper limit apply, so if 60% is below the lower limit you receive the lower limit, and if it is above the upper limit you receive the upper limit. In 2026 the lower limit is KRW 66,048 and the upper limit is KRW 68,100, so the gap between them is small.
Are the amounts in the reform tab final?
No. They are estimates based on the reform plan the government announced on September 1, 2026. A six-day payment week needs an amendment to the law, and linking the upper limit to 103% needs a change to subordinate regulations, so the final content and timing may differ.
Does the total shrink under the reform?
If the plan is carried out as announced, the total amount and the total number of benefit days stay the same. The monthly payment gets smaller and the benefit period gets longer. Check the comparison table to see how the monthly amount and period change. The 2027 minimum wage increase also raises the daily lower limit.
How do I enter the average wage?
Enter the total wages (before tax) for the 3 months before you left and the number of days in that period. The calculator divides the first by the second to get the average daily wage. Check your separation notice or pay slips for the figures. What counts as wages, such as bonuses and annual leave pay, can differ from person to person.
Notes
This calculator is for reference only. It does not determine eligibility or amounts and is not legal or labor advice. BTSPACE WAGLE is an unofficial information site, not a government agency. Please check actual eligibility and amounts with Work24, your local employment center, or the Ministry of Employment and Labor call center (1350). You can also read our Korean-language guide to unemployment benefits.