Labor and Industrial Accidents
Unpaid wages, dismissal, workplace injuries
Labor and Industrial Accidents
Foreign workers have the same rights under the Labor Standards Act as Korean workers: minimum wage, overtime pay, severance after a year, safe working conditions and compensation for injuries at work. In practice, language and visa dependence make those rights hard to use without help.
We recover unpaid wages and severance, challenge unfair dismissal, file and appeal industrial accident (sanjae) claims, and pursue damages beyond insurance where an employer was at fault.
What we handle
Recognition of industrial accidents
Appeals against denied accident claims
Labor Standards Act violations
Unfair dismissal
Unpaid wages and severance
Damages for workplace injuries
Occupational disease
What foreign nationals should know
Industrial accident insurance covers foreign workers, including in most cases those without a valid visa. Report the injury and get medical records before anything else.
Unpaid wages can be claimed through the regional labor office and, if the employer cannot pay, partly through the government wage guarantee scheme. Keep pay slips, work schedules and messages from your employer.
Employment Permit System (E-9) workers can change workplaces only in defined situations, and unpaid wages or unsafe conditions are among them. We help document the grounds.
Leaving Korea does not end your claim, but it makes it much harder to pursue. Talk to us before your departure date.
Frequently asked questions
File a complaint with the regional labor office; an inspector investigates and can order payment. If the employer refuses or is insolvent, there are court and wage-guarantee routes. We prepare the evidence so the complaint is well supported.
Industrial accident insurance pays for treatment and part of your lost wages once the accident is recognized. If the employer was negligent, additional damages can be claimed separately.
Retaliatory dismissal is unlawful. A dismissal can be challenged before the Labor Relations Commission within three months (at workplaces with five or more employees), and reinstatement or compensation can be ordered.
Labor law protections and accident insurance apply regardless of immigration status, and labor offices handle wage claims from undocumented workers. We advise on how to proceed safely.
This page provides general information about Korean law and is not legal advice. Outcomes depend on the facts of each case. Consultations are paid and are held in English or with an interpreter.