Korea Unemployment Benefit Calculator
Enter wages for the three-month averaging period, age and disability status at separation, and your insured period to estimate Korea’s 2026 employee job-seeking benefit per day, prescribed benefit days, and total.
Eligibility also depends on insured-unit days, the reason for separation, ability and willingness to work, and unemployment recognition. This calculator does not decide eligibility.
Estimated job-seeking benefit
Reference estimate using Korea’s 2026 minimum wage and daily benefit ceiling.
Estimated total benefit
11,888,640 KRW
180 days × 66,048 KRW
Daily benefit
66,048 KRW
Statutory minimum applied
Prescribed benefit days
180 days
Under age 50 · 3 to under 5 years
Average daily wage
97,826 KRW
60% of average daily wage
58,695 KRW
Statutory daily floor (comparison)
66,048 KRW
Statutory daily ceiling (comparison)
68,100 KRW
Estimated amount for 28 days
1,849,344 KRW
2026 minimum hourly wage
10,320 KRW
Formula used
The calculator drops fractions below KRW 1 from the average daily wage, applies 60%, drops the remaining fraction, and then applies the 2026 minimum-wage-linked floor and KRW 68,100 daily ceiling.
The total multiplies the daily estimate by prescribed benefit days. Actual payments depend on unemployment recognition after the waiting period and may change with employment, early reemployment, or expiry of the benefit period.
Basis for the 2026 Korean employee job-seeking benefit estimate
Reference date and last reviewed: July 30, 2026
Calculation Basis
The estimate follows Articles 45 and 46 of Korea’s Employment Insurance Act for average wages and the daily benefit, Article 50 and attached Table 1 for prescribed benefit days, the 2026 minimum hourly wage of KRW 10,320, and the KRW 68,100 daily ceiling.
Reference Limits
This tool only estimates an employee amount. It does not decide the 180 insured-unit-day test, qualifying reason for separation, repeat claims, excluded average-wage periods, unemployment recognition, work or income during a claim, or separate rules for daily workers, artists, labor providers, and self-employed persons.
When to Confirm Officially
Check the average wage, contracted daily hours, and insured period on the employer’s separation confirmation. Confirm actual eligibility and payment through Work24 or the employment center responsible for the claim.
Usage Tips
Match the inputs to your payslips and separation confirmation
Enter wages and the separation date to calculate the three-month average-wage period automatically, then compare prescribed benefit days using age at separation, disability status, and the total insured-period band. Use the result for planning because the employment center separately reviews insured-unit days, the reason for separation, and unemployment recognition.
What is Korea Unemployment Benefit Calculator?
The Korea Unemployment Benefit Calculator estimates a regular employee’s 2026 daily job-seeking benefit, prescribed benefit days, and total from prior average wages, contracted daily hours, age at separation, and total employment-insurance period.
How to Use
- 1 Enter wages for the three-month average-wage period and the separation date—the day after the final workday; the calendar-day count is calculated automatically.
- 2 Enter age at separation, then select disability status, the total insured-period band, and contracted daily hours.
- 3 Review the 60% wage calculation, statutory floor or ceiling, prescribed benefit days, and estimated total.
How average wages and statutory limits shape the benefit estimate
Last reviewed: July 30, 20262026 employee job-seeking benefit formula
Average daily wage = wages in three-month period ÷ calendar days, dropping fractions below KRW 1 / Daily benefit = 60% of the truncated average daily wage, dropping fractions below KRW 1 before applying the floor and KRW 68,100 ceiling / Estimated total = daily benefit × prescribed benefit days
The floor is 2026 minimum hourly wage of KRW 10,320 × contracted daily hours × 80%. Following the official simulator, fractions below KRW 1 are dropped at each applicable step. Prescribed benefit days are applied automatically from age at separation, disability status, and total insured period.
Under age 50, three to under five insured years, and KRW 9 million
- • Wages in the three-month period: KRW 9,000,000
- • Separation date: September 16, 2026
- • Calendar days in averaging period: 92
- • Age at separation: 45; disability status: no
- • Insured-period band: three to under five years; eight contracted hours per day
- 1. Average daily wage = 9,000,000 ÷ 92 = approximately KRW 97,826.08 → KRW 97,826 after dropping the fraction
- 2. 60% wage calculation = 97,826 × 0.60 = KRW 58,695.6 → KRW 58,695 after dropping the fraction
- 3. 2026 eight-hour floor = 10,320 × 8 × 0.80 = KRW 66,048
- 4. Daily benefit after applying the floor = KRW 66,048
- 5. Under age 50 with three to under five insured years = 180 prescribed days
- 6. Estimated total = 66,048 × 180 = KRW 11,888,640
The estimated daily benefit is KRW 66,048 for 180 prescribed days, producing an estimated total of KRW 11,888,640.
How to read the result
- When 60% of average wages is below the statutory floor, a lower wage does not reduce the estimate below that floor for the same contracted hours.
- Higher wages do not increase the daily benefit above KRW 68,100, while total differences can still come from age and insured-period benefit-day bands.
- A person age 50 or older or legally disabled can receive a longer prescribed-day band than a person under 50 with the same insured period.
Conditions that change the result
- The calculator does not test 180 insured-unit days, the reason for separation, repeat-claim restrictions, unemployment recognition, earnings during a claim, or extensions of the benefit period.
- Included bonuses, allowances, and statutory excluded periods can change the official average wage shown on an individual separation confirmation.
- Daily workers, artists, labor providers, and self-employed insured persons have different eligibility and amount rules.
Common input mistakes
- Do not treat the total insured period as the same measure as the 180 insured-unit-day eligibility test.
- Enter the day after the final workday as the separation date. The calculator uses it to derive the preceding three-month calendar-day period automatically.
- Use age on the separation date, not age on the later application date, for the prescribed-day band.
Reference Knowledge
- ● For employees in 2026, the daily job-seeking benefit generally starts at 60% of the average daily wage. The KRW 113,500 base-wage ceiling produces a KRW 68,100 daily-benefit ceiling.
- ● The daily floor uses the 2026 KRW 10,320 minimum hourly wage, contracted daily hours before separation, and an 80% factor.
- ● Prescribed benefit days range from 120 to 270 based on total insured-period bands and whether the person was under 50 or age 50 or older or disabled at separation.
- ● This calculator covers an employee estimate only. It does not apply the separate rules for daily workers, artists, labor providers, or self-employed insured persons.
FAQ
Q. Does a calculated amount mean I qualify for unemployment benefits?
No. Eligibility generally also requires at least 180 insured-unit days in the applicable reference period, a qualifying reason for separation, ability and willingness to work, and active reemployment efforts.
Q. What should be included in wages for the three-month period?
Enter wage items included in statutory average wages during the averaging period. Bonuses, allowances, and excluded periods such as certain leave or shutdown periods can change the official figure, so check the employer separation confirmation.
Q. Does the benefit keep increasing with higher wages?
No. The 2026 daily ceiling for an employee job-seeking benefit is KRW 68,100. The ceiling applies when 60% of the average daily wage is higher.
Q. Why are contracted daily hours required?
They affect the minimum-wage-linked daily floor. Following the Work24 simulator’s bands, this calculator treats four hours or less as four and eight hours or more as eight.
Q. Will every prescribed benefit day be paid?
Not necessarily. Benefits are generally payable for recognized unemployment days within 12 months from the day after separation. Delayed application, employment, income, or expiry can reduce actual paid days.
