Teaching in Korea offers a higher salary than many other countries offering English teaching opportunities, yet has a relatively low cost of living. Contracts also include free housing and round trip airfare, and bonuses like settlement allowances, severance pay and rural allowances.

The following goes into detail about the salary and benefits you can expect as a native speaker English teacher, as well as explaining the deductions taken from your monthly paycheck:

 A. Salaries

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 B. Housing

 C. Overtime

Public school teachers are required to teach 22 hours per week and work 40 hours per week, as stated in their contract. Any hours taught or worked in addition to this are considered to be ¡®overtime.¡¯ Hours proposed by the school beyond what was agreed upon in the contract are up to the teacher to accept or reject. Schools may ask teachers to teach extra afterschool or weekend classes, in addition to their normal workload. These programs often focus on either gifted or struggling students, or may concentrate on a subject of interest like acting or writing for the school¡¯s English newspaper. Native speaker English teachers may also hold classes or trainings for the teachers of their school or district. Overtime rates vary by Provincial Offices of Education.

At private language schools, overtime conditions vary from school to school. August and January are the two months when Korean public schools are closed, and are traditionally the busiest months for hagwons in Korea. Most schools schedule extra classes or special programs. Overtime is almost inevitable during these two months. Teachers are also often expected to help temporarily cover the shifts of a teacher who leaves the school unexpectedly, until a replacement can be hired. The usual overtime rate at a private language school is generally around 20,000 - 35,000 won per hour.

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 D. Sick Leave

Public school teach renewed ers are given paid sick leave, when notifying their employer prior to their absence. Most Education Boards require a doctor¡¯s note when a teacher misses more than 3 consecutive days of school. No more than 11 to 15 days of paid sick leave are provided, depending on the Provincial Education Board. The total number of sick leave days taken, both paid and unpaid, may help determine whether or not a teacher¡¯s contract would be renewed.

Private language institutes vary in the number of paid sick leave days they offer their teachers. Most require a doctor¡¯s note for consecutive days of sick leave taken.

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 E. Paid Vacation

Both public schools and private language institutes offer a generous number of paid vacation days to their teachers.

Public schools have school break between July and the end of August and December and February. Teachers may take their paid vacation during these periods, with the advance approval of their schools.

Private language schools are usually busy during the public school breaks, but will still get about 10 days off in total during the year.

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 F. National Holidays

Most schools in South Korea close for all Korean national holidays (about 10 - 13 days off a year). The two longest holiday breaks last between 4 and 5 consecutive days, while there are also a number of long weekends and additional work days off throughout the year. Dates of holidays that are based on the Lunar Calendar vary from year to year, while those based on the Solar (Western) Calendar occur on the same date annually. No salary deductions are made for national and school holidays.

The following is a brief explanation of the national holidays observed in Korea:

A. New Year's Day (January 1st)
Both Western and Lunar New Years are celebrated in South Korea.

B, Seollal, or Chinese New Year (follows the Lunar Calendar, varies, from January to late February)
This is the second most important holiday in Korea, behind autumn¡¯s Chuseok. Families generally reunite and travel back to their hometowns during this holiday. Seollal is the most prominent occasion on which Koreans honor their ancestors and older living relatives. Young people usually receive gifts of cash for correctly executing traditional bows in front of elders, and wishing them good health and prosperity for the new year.

Koreans consider themselves to be one year older on Lunar New Year¡¯s Day, not on their actual birthdays. Also, when a baby is born in Korea, he or she is considered to be one year old. Thus, Koreans are usually 1 to 2 years younger than the age that they count themselves as. Knowing this fact can be important when dealing with younger children. If you're told that you're going to be teaching five year olds, double check if this is their 'Korean' or 'Western' age.

C. Samiljeol, Independence Movement Day(March 1st)
This day marks the beginning of the independence movement against the Japanese during their colonial rule. On this day in 1919, leaders of social and religious circles gathered at a park in central Seoul and declared Korea's independence from Japan, which had annexed Korea with tacit U.S. approval in 1910. In recent years, it has come to be a holiday that celebrates (and asserts) Korea's independence from all foreign powers.

D. Buddha's Birthday (follows the Lunar Calendar, varies, in April to May)
Solemn rituals are held at Buddhist temples across the country. Monks and laymen march through city streets with beautiful paper lanterns at night in Jongro.

E. Children's Day (May 5th)
This is an official holiday for the schools. Children receive gifts from parents and teachers and are taken on family outings.

F. Parents' Day (May 8th)
This is not an official holiday; however, most families observe it, with children giving parents carnations and letters of appreciation. Teachers at school usually help the students write letters to their parents.

G. Teacher's Day (May 15th)
Unfortunately, this day is not a holiday for most teachers in Korea. However, you can expect to be showered with gifts from parents and little notes or gifts from the students themselves.

H. Constitution Day (July 17th)
This day celebrates the establishment of the first Korean constitution on July 17, 1948. The Republic of Korea (South Korea) was officially established about a month later.

I. Korean Independence Day (August 15th)
Japan surrendered to the United States on this day in 1945. It is celebrated by Koreans as the official end to Japanese colonial rule and the beginning of the modern era in Korea.

J. Chuseok ( follows the Lunar Calendar, varies, in September to October)
Chuseok, Korea¡¯s harvest festival, is the biggest holiday of the year. Koreans often refer to this holiday as 'Korean Thanksgiving.' Chuseok is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Lunar Calendar. At Chuseok (and Lunar New Year), it is common for Koreans to wear traditional clothing, called Hanbok.

The day before and after Chuseok are official holidays as well. Most Koreans will make their way to their hometowns to visit their families for the holiday. If you are planning to travel during this time, it¡¯s best to make travel arrangements in advance.

K. National Foundation Day (October 3rd)
This day commemorates the founding of the Korean nation in 2333 B.C. by the legendary god-king Dangun. A simple ceremony is held at an altar on top of Mt. Manisan, Ganghwado Province. This altar is said to have been erected by Dangun to offer thanks to his father and grandfather in heaven.

L. Christmas (December 25th)
Christmas day is an official holiday for everyone in Korea, although celebrations may differ from those of western cultures. Many young Koreans go out to parties and dinners with friends on December 25th, so if you plan to eat out, it¡¯s a good idea to reserve a table in advance. Most schools will open again on December 26, unless it is the start of their winter break. Christmas Eve and Boxing Day (December 24th and 26th) hold no special significance in Korea.

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 G. Airfare

Currently all schools in Korea offer round trip airfare to and from Korea as part of the standard 1 year contracts. Schools that offer shorter-term contracts most often do not cover airfare for their teachers.

Most often, teachers are required to purchase a one-way ticket to Korea from the nearest international airport in their country to the airport nearest to their school. Public school teachers teaching through the EPIK and SMOE programs will be given a 1.3 million won entrance allowance after arriving in Korea, while GEPIK teachers will be reimbursed for the price of their tickets. Hagwons often reimburse their teachers after arrival, although some will purchase plane tickets for their teachers in advance. It is important to keep the payment receipts and invoices to get this reimbursement.

For those who reside in Korea and are hired while in Korea, starting a new contract without leaving the country will not provide the cash equivalent of a one-way airfare into Korea. However, if the teacher needs a new work visa, and a visa run is required, the school will provide the airfare. At the end of the contract, a one-way ticket back to their home country will be provided.

Teachers that leave their schools without fulfilling their contracts, especially those sleaving within the first six months, will often be required to reimburse the school for their airfare to Korea and will not be provided a return flight to their country.

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 H. Medical Insurance

In principle, foreign instructors are entitled to Korean medical insurance through their employer. You should make sure this is mentioned in the contract before accepting a job offer. It is important to understand the nature and scope of this coverage. While medical care in Korea is generally good and not very expensive, it can still become quite costly. If you do not get insurance through your employer, you can get public health insurance on an individual basis, but only with an Alien Registration Card.

If you purchase private health insurance, it is important to note that most medical practitioners and hospitals do not accept the premise of being directly billed by private health insurance companies, whether from a domestic or overseas firm. Individuals would have to settle with the medical insurance company for reimbursements after the treatments.

For more information, visit the National Health Insurance Corporation website: http://www.nhic.or.kr/english/index.html

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 I. Severance Pay

Public schools provide their teachers with severance pay upon completing a contract of a year or more. This bonus is the equivalent to approximately 1 month's salary (30 days) and does not apply to contracts that are less than a year.

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 J. Income Tax

Income tax deductions are made in accordance with Korean law, and taken from the teacher¡¯s monthly salary. This works out to be approximately 3.3%, depending on the rate of pay. Citizens of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa may apply for Income Tax Exemption for their first 2 years in Korea. Canadian citizens are required to pay 2% of their salary as income tax, in accordance with Korean law.

To apply for Income Tax Exemption, you should visit a regional taxation office with the following documents:

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 K. National Pension

All workers in Korea pay 9% of their salary to Korea¡¯s National Pension. In the case of native speaker English teachers in Korea, their cover 50% of this cost. When leaving Korea, Canadian and American teachers are entitled to receive both their and their employer's contributions to Korea's National Pension Scheme, due to an agreement between Korea and Canada and the USA. The refund applicable to Canadian and American nationals who worked in public schools.

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 L. List of Deductions

The following shows the monthly salary deductions for teachers working at public schools. The exact figures for each deduction may change.

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