At an hourly wage of 12,000 won, you can receive 192,000 won in weekly holiday allowance over 4 weeks

Hello, everyone! Vijob is here 👋

Did you know? If you work a part-time job 20 hours a week at 12,000 KRW/hour and meet the criteria for Weekly Holiday Allowance (주휴수당), you could earn an extra 192,000 KRW after 4 weeks!

However, if your employment contract states 14 hours a week, this extra allowance might vanish completely.

How much can you receive under your working conditions? Let’s break it down! 👇

💡 What is Weekly Holiday Allowance (주휴수당)?

Weekly Holiday Allowance (주휴수당) is extra wages you are legally entitled to receive for a paid day off each week if you satisfy specific requirements under South Korea's Labor Standards Act.

2 Key Rules to Check:

• 15+ Hours per Week: Your contractually agreed work time must average at least 15 hours per week over a 4-week period.

• Full Attendance: You must attend all scheduled workdays without unauthorized absences.

📢 Note: International students are fully protected as legal workers under South Korea's Labor Standards Act and are eligible for weekly holiday pay whenever conditions are met!

📊 14 Hours vs 15 Hours — What's the Difference?

Compare the estimated weekly holiday allowance according to hourly wage and weekly working hours.

※ This is the estimated weekly amount under the calculation method for part-time workers at workplaces where full-time employees work 40 hours a week over 5 days. The actual amount may vary depending on the work arrangement and the workplace's workday standards. A 14-hour week is a case where, on average over 4 weeks, the weekly hours are under 15, so it is not eligible for payment.

🧮 Calculation Example:

(20 hours ÷ 40 hours) × 8 hours × 12,000 won = 48,000 won

The 2026 minimum hourly wage is 10,320 won, and from January 1, 2027, 10,700 won will apply.

📲Calculate your weekly holiday pay right now

What if your hourly wage or working hours differ from the table above?

Check your custom estimated allowance instantly using the Vijob Weekly Holiday Allowance Calculator (Vijob 주휴수당 계산기) on the Vijob app!

📝3 Things to Check Before Signing a Part-Time

1. Does the listed wage include weekly holiday allowance?

Some job postings show a "gross" hourly rate that already includes weekly holiday pay.

Based on a standard 40-hour workweek, weekly holiday pay equals 20% of your base wage, meaning the gross wage equals 1.2 times your base hourly wage.

• Quick Check Formula: Listed Hourly Wage ÷ 1.2 = Base Hourly Wage.

• 2026 Example: If a job states "12,000 KRW including weekly holiday pay":

  12,000 KRW ÷ 1.2 = 10,000 KRW 🚨 (Below the 2026 minimum wage of 10,320 KRW!)

• 2027 Example: With the 10,700 KRW minimum wage, if a listed rate including allowance is below 12,840 KRW (10,700 × 1.2), make sure to double-check!

However, this calculation is for reference only. It does not apply to every type of work, and whether there is an actual violation of the minimum wage should be judged based on the wage structure in the employment contract and the working conditions.

2. How many hours per week are listed in the contract?

If the average weekly working time over 4 weeks is less than 15 hours, you are generally not eligible for weekly holiday allowance.

For example, even if you are contracted for 14 hours a week and work extra hours, weekly holiday allowance does not automatically arise.

Also, short-term contracts that do not reach a continuous 7-day employment relationship may not generate weekly holiday allowance.

3. If you are late or leave early, do you lose the weekly holiday allowance?

Being late or leaving early is, in principle, not an absence. You do not lose weekly holiday allowance just because you were late or left early.

However, if you took time off on a scheduled workday for personal reasons, it is generally treated as an absence. Even if you got prior approval from the owner, if it is simply unpaid absence, weekly holiday allowance for that week may not arise.

On the other hand, annual paid leave or statutory paid holidays are treated differently from ordinary absences. However, if there were no days of actual work during the entire week, eligibility for weekly holiday allowance may change.

So if you need a day off, it is best to check in advance whether it counts as a simple absence or as leave recognized by the company.

🗣️ Confused about your pay? Ask your boss using this exact Korean phrase:

"이 시급에 주휴수당이 포함되어 있나요? 기본 시급과 주휴수당을 따로 확인할 수 있을까요?" (Does this hourly wage include weekly holiday allowance? Could I check the base hourly wage and weekly holiday allowance separately?)

💬How is your part-time job experience in Korea?

While working a part-time job in Korea, have you ever felt confused because of your pay or working conditions?

Please share your experience in the comments!

• Have you ever actually received weekly holiday allowance?

• What pay condition is the most confusing when looking for a part-time job?

Your experiences and questions can also help other friends who are starting a part-time job in Korea for the first time.

💙Vijob is rooting for you!

Share your experiences or questions in the comments below! Your insights will be a huge help to other international students starting their first jobs in Korea.

Balancing studies and work in a foreign country is never easy. As hard as you work, make sure you know your rights and get paid fairly.

Vijob is always here to support your journey in Korea! 💙