▷ A few Acts were amended in 2025 (Listed in the References section).

▶ Labour Standards Act - (as amended in 2024)
The LSA does not apply to workplaces with fewer than 5 workers.
→ Section 11 LSA indicates that:
(1) This Act shall apply to all businesses or workplaces in which not less than five workers are ordinarily employed: (...).
(2) With respect to businesses or workplaces which ordinarily employ fewer than five workers, only part of the provisions of this Act may be made applicable as prescribed by the Presidential Decree.
(3) In the application of this Act, the method of calculating the number of workers ordinarily employed shall be prescribed by the Presidential Decree".

▶ Labour Standards Act - (as amended in 2024)
The LSA does not apply to domestic workers or to businesses that employ only relatives living together.
→ Section 11(1) LSA: (...) this Act shall neither apply to any business or workplace in which only the employer's blood relatives living together are engaged, nor to servants hired for the employer's domestic works.
▷ Although not specified in the Act, it does not apply to public/civil servants whose employment is regulated by specific rules. See the website of the Republic of Korea Civil Service Commission: http://www.csc.go.kr/eng/csS/css03.asp

▶ Act on the Protection of Fixed-Term and Part-Time Employees (FTPTE) - (as amended in 2021)
→ Section 2(1) FTPTE indicates that: The term "fixed-term employee" means an employee who has signed an employment contract whose period is fixed (hereinafter referred to as "fixed-term employment contract")
▶ Labour Standards Act (LSA) - (as amended in 2024)
→ Section 16 (Term of Contract) provides that: The term of a labour contract shall not exceed one year, except in cases where no term is fixed, or a term is fixed as necessary for the completion of a project.

▶ Act on the Protection of Fixed-Term and Part-Time Employees (FTPTE) - (as amended in 2021)
No limitation for the conclusion of 1 or more fixed-term contracts, provided that the total cumulative duration does not exceed 2 years.
→ Section 4 FTPTE indicates that:
(1)Any employer may hire a fixed-term employee for a period not exceeding two years (where his or her fixed-term employment contract is repetitively renewed, the total period of his or her continuous employment shall not exceed two years): Provided, That where a fixed-term employee falls under any of the following subparagraphs, any employer may hire such employee for more than two years:
1.Where the period required to complete a project or particular task is specified;
2.Where a fixed-term employee is needed to fill a vacancy arising from an employee's temporary suspension from duty or dispatch until the relevant employee returns to work;
3.Where the period required for an employee to complete his or her schoolwork or vocational training is specified;
4.Where an employer enters into an employment contract with a senior citizen as defined in subparagraph 1 of section 2 of the Employment Promotion for the Aged Act;
5.Where the job requires professional knowledge and skills or is offered as part of the Government's welfare or unemployment measures, as prescribed by Presidential Decree;
6.Where any reasonable ground exists equivalent to those mentioned in subparagraphs 1 through 5, as prescribed by Presidential Decree.
(2)Where any employer hires a fixed-term employee for more than two years although those grounds under the proviso of paragraph (1) do not exist or cease to exist, such fixed-term employee shall be deemed an employee subject to non-fixed term employment contract.
▶ Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Protection of Fixed-Term and Part-Time Employees (ED-FTPTE) - (as amended in 2021)
▷ Exception of Restriction on Period of Employment for Fixed-Term Employees
→ Section 3 of the ED-FTPTE provides that:
(1)"Where the job requires professional knowledge and skills, as prescribed by Presidential Decree" under section 4 (1) 5 of the Act shall be any of the following:
1.Where an employee has a doctorate (including a doctorate conferred in a foreign country) and engages in the relevant field;
2.Where an employee has a national technical qualification of the grade for professional engineer under section 9 (1) 1 of the National Technical Qualifications Act and engages in the relevant field;
3.Where an employee has a professional qualification specified in Appendix 2 and engages in the relevant field.
(2)"Where the job is offered as part of the Government's welfare or unemployment measures, as prescribed by Presidential Decree" under section 4 (1) 5 of the Act shall be any of the following:
1.Where the job is offered to develop the vocational capacities of the national, to promote their employment, and to provide services socially necessary under other statutes such as the Framework Act on Employment Policy and the Employment Insurance Act;
2.Where the job is offered to increase the employment of discharged soldiers and stabilize their livelihood under section 3 of the Support for Discharged Soldiers Act;
3.Where human resources for welfare support are operated, such as assistants for welfare improvement and livelihood stabilization for persons entitled to veterans benefits under section 19 (2) of the Framework Act on Veterans Affairs.
(3)"Where prescribed by Presidential Decree" under section 4 (1) 6 of the Act shall be any of the following:
1.Where other statutes determine the employment term of fixed-term employees differently from section 4 (1) of the Act, or allow the conclusion of an employment contract by fixing a separate term;
2.Where an employee who has specialized military knowledge and skills acknowledged by the Minister of National Defence engages in the relevant job or lectures subjects relating to security and military science at a university or a college under subparagraph 1 of section 2 of the Higher Education Act;
3.Where an employee with special career experience engages in affairs related to national security, national defence, diplomacy or reunification;
4.Where an employee engages in any of the following at a school specified in section 2 of the Higher Education Act (including a graduate school, university, or college under section 30 of the same Act):
(a)Affairs of an instructor or assistant instructor under section 14 of the Higher Education Act;
(b)Affairs of an honorary professor, a school teacher holding concurrent posts, a visiting teacher, etc., under section 7 of the Enforcement Decree of the Higher Education Act;
5.Where the wage and salary income under section 20 (1) of the Income Tax Act (referring to annual average wage and salary income for the recent two years) of an employee who engages in a job of main classification 1 and main classification 2 pursuant to the Korean Standards Classification notified under section 22 of the Statistics Act falls under 25/100 of the superior position of the wage and salary income of an employee who engages in main classification 2 pursuant to the Korean Standard Classification of the survey on the status of work by employment type that is recently surveyed by the Minister of Employment and Labour;
6.Where a part-time employee whose contracted weekly working hours are clearly short under section 18 (3) of the Labour Standards Act;
7.Where an employee engages in the affairs of a player under subparagraph 4 of section 2 and a certified sports leader under subparagraph 6 of the same section of the National Sports Promotion Act;
8.Where an employee engages directly in research affairs in any of the following research institutes or engages in the affairs directly involving and supporting the research affairs, such as performance of experiments and investigations, etc.:
(a)National research institutes;
(b)Government-funded research institutes established under the Act on the Establishment, Operation and Fostering of Government-Funded Research Institutes, Etc, or the Act on the Establishment, Operation and Fostering of Government-Funded Science and Technology Research Institutes, Etc.
(c)Specific research institutes under the Specific Research Institutes Support Act;
(d)Research institutes established under the Act on the Establishment and Operation of Local Government-Invested Research Institutes;
(e)Affiliated institutions of public institutions under the Act on the Management of Public Institutions;
(f)Affiliated institutions of enterprises or universities;
(g)Research institutes which are corporations established under the Civil Act or other statutes.

▶ Act on the Protection of Fixed-Term and Part-Time Employees (FTPTE) - (as amended in 2021)
No limitation for the conclusion of 1 or more fixed-term contracts, provided that the total cumulative duration does not exceed 2 years.
→ Section 4(1) FTPTE indicates that:
(1)Any employer may hire a fixed-term employee for a period not exceeding two years (where his or her fixed-term employment contract is repetitively renewed, the total period of his or her continuous employment shall not exceed two years): (...).
▶ Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Protection of Fixed-Term and Part-Time Employees (ED-FTPTE) - (as amended in 2021)
→ Section 3 ED-FTPTE provides specific exceptions to the two-year cumulative limit (§ 4(1) of the FTPTE). These exceptions include:
▻ Highly specialised roles (PhD holders, professional engineers, certain national technical qualifications).
▻ Government welfare or unemployment support programmes.
▻ National security, defence, diplomacy or reunification-related positions.
▻ Research positions in designated public or university research institutes.
▻ High-income employees (top 25 % wage bracket in certain job categories).
▻ Professional athletes and certain part-time roles with very short hours.
In these exceptional cases, an employer may hire a fixed-term employee for a total period exceeding two years. However, once the exceptional ground ceases to exist, the fixed-term employee shall be deemed to be employed under a non-fixed-term (indefinite) labour contract pursuant to Section 4(2) of the FTPTE.

▶ Act on the Protection of Fixed-Term and Part-Time Employees (FTPTE) - (as amended in 2021)
The maximum duration shall not exceed 2 years.
→ Section 4 FTPTE indicates that: Any employer may hire a fixed-term employee for a period not exceeding two years (where his or her fixed-term employment contract is repetitively renewed, the total period of his or her continuous employment shall not exceed two years): (...).

▶ Enforcement Decree of the Labour Standards Act (ED-LSA) - (as amended in 2025)
→ Under section 2(1)(1) ED-LSA, reference is made to probationary period for the calculation of average wages, indicating that: A period not exceeding three months from the date on which an employee on probation starts working as a probationary employee after concluding a labour contract; (...).

▶ Labour Standards Act (LSA) - (as amended in 2024)
→ Under section 11 of the LSA, workers in undertakings with fewer than five employees, as well as the employer's blood relatives living together, and servants hired for the employer's domestic work, are excluded from the application of the LSA and therefore from the protection it offers against dismissal.

▶ Labour Standards Act (LSA) - (as amended in 2024)
▷ Non-discrimination
→ Section 6 LSA provides for a general prohibition of discrimination against workers on the grounds of gender, nationality, religion or social status.
▷ Occupational injury or disease and child birth
→ Section 23(2) indicates that: An employer shall not dismiss an employee during a period of suspension of work for medical treatment of an occupational injury or disease and within 30 days immediately thereafter, and any woman before and after childbirth shall not be dismissed during a period of suspension of work as prescribed by this Act and for 30 days immediately thereafter: Provided, That this shall not apply where the employer has paid a lump sum compensation as provided for under section 84 or where the employer may not continue to conduct his or her business.
▶ Equal Employment Act (EEA) - (as amended in 2025)
▷ Non-discrimination
The EEA prohibits discriminatory dismissals on the grounds of age, sex, marriage, family status, pregnancy or childbirth.
→ Section 2 EEA states that: The term "discrimination" means that an employer discriminates against an employee in employment or working conditions, or takes any other disadvantageous measures without any rational reason, on grounds of gender, marriage, status within family, pregnancy or childbirth, etc. (...).
→ Section 11 EEA indicates that:
(1)No employer shall discriminate on grounds of gender in age limit, retirement, and dismissal of his or her employees.
(2)No employer shall conclude an employment contract that stipulates marriage, pregnancy, or childbirth of female employees as grounds for retirement.
▷ Sexual harassment
→ Section 14(6)(1) EEA stipulates that: No employer shall give an employee who reports that sexual harassment has occurred or a harassed employee, etc. any of the following disadvantageous treatments:
1.Dismissal, removal from office, discharge or any other disadvantageous treatment corresponding to the loss of status; (...).
→ Section 14-2(2) EEA provides that: No employer shall dismiss, or take any other disadvantageous measures against, an employee on account of his or her claim that he or she suffered damage under paragraph (1) or of disregard for sexual demands from clients, etc.
▷ Paternity Leave - [Added by Act No. 16558, Aug. 27, 2019]
→ Section 18-2(5) EEA states that: No employer shall dismiss, or take any disadvantageous measures against, an employee on grounds of paternity leave.
▷ Fertility Treatment Leave
→ Section 18-3(2) EEA indicates that: No employer shall give disadvantageous treatment such as dismissal or disciplinary punishment on the grounds that an employee takes fertility treatment leave.
▷ Childcare
→ Section 19(3) EEA stipulates that: No employer shall dismiss, or take any other disadvantageous measure against, an employee on account of childcare leave, or dismiss the relevant employee during the period of childcare leave: Provided, That this shall not apply where the employer is unable to continue his or her business.
→ Section 19-2(5) EEA provides that: No employer shall dismiss, or take any disadvantageous measures against, an employee on grounds of reduced working hours for a period of childcare.
▷ Family care
→ Under section 22-2(6) EEA, no employer shall dismiss the relevant employee, deteriorate his or her working conditions, or take any other disadvantageous measures against him or her on grounds of family care leave or short-term family care leave.
New: The number of sub-section has been modified to 22-2(6) [previously 22-2(5)] (Amended on Sep. 8, 2020).
▷ Reduced working hours
→ Under section 22-3(5) EEA, no employer shall dismiss, or take any disadvantageous measures against, an employee on grounds of reduced working hours.
▶ Trade Union and Labour Relations Adjustment Act (TULRAA) - (as amended in 2025)
→ Section 81(1) and (5) of the TULRAA indicates that: Employers shall not conduct any act falling under any of the following subparagraphs :
1.Dismissal or unfavourable treatment of a worker on grounds that he has joined or intends to join a trade union, or has attempted to organize a trade union, or has performed any other lawful act for the operation of a trade union; (...).
5.Dismissal of workers or acts against their interests on the ground that they have participated in justifiable collective activities, or that they reported to or testified before the Labour Relations Commission the fact that the employer has violated the provisions of this section, or that they have presented other evidence to the relevant administrative agencies.
▶ Act on Prohibition of Age Discrimination in Employment and Elderly Employment Promotion (PADE-EEP) - (as amended in 2022)
→ New Section 4-4 PADE-EEP provides for prohibition of age discrimination, including with regard to dismissal, indicating that:
(1)Employers shall not discriminate against any of their workers or any person who wishes to work for an employer, on the grounds of age without reasonable grounds in the following areas (Amended on May 26, 2020):
1.Recruitment and employment;
2.Salary, provision of money and valuables other than salary, or other welfare benefits;
3.Education and training;
4.Placement, transfer, or promotion;
5.Retirement or dismissal.
→ Section 4-9 of the PADE-EEP indicates that: No employer shall engage in any unfavourable treatment, such as dismissal, transfer, or disciplinary action, against a worker on the ground that the worker has filed a petition, lawsuit or report, or provided data, response or testimony regarding an act of age discrimination banned by this Act.
▶ Public Interest Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA) - (as amended in 2025)
→ Section 15(1) WPA indicates that: No person shall take disadvantageous measures against a whistleblower, etc. by reason of having filed a public interest report, etc. (...).
→ Under section 2(6)(a) of the WPA, the term "disadvantageous measures" means. among others: Dismissal, release from office, discharge, or other disadvantageous measures against a person's social position equivalent to the loss of social position; (...)

▶ Labour Standards Act (LSA) - (as amended in 2024)
→ Section 23(2): Special protection against dismissal during temporary suspension for occupational injury/disease and maternity leave (30 days before and after childbirth).
▶ Equal Employment Act (EEA) - (as amended in 2025)
→ Sections 11, 14(6)(1), 14-2(2), 18-2(5), 18-3(2), 19(3), 19-2(5), 22-2(6) and 22-3(5): Protection against dismissal or disadvantageous treatment on grounds of pregnancy, paternity leave, childcare leave, family care leave, fertility treatment leave, reduced working hours and reporting sexual harassment.
▶ Trade Union and Labour Relations Adjustment Act [TULRAA] (as amended in 2025)
→ Section 81(1) and (5): Protection against dismissal or unfavourable treatment on grounds of trade union membership or activities.
▶ Act on Prohibition of Age Discrimination in Employment and Elderly Employment Promotion [PADE-EEP] (as amended in 2022)
→ Sections 4-4 and 4-9: Protection against age discrimination and retaliation in dismissal.
▶ Public Interest Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA) - (as amended in 2025)
→ Section 15(1): Protection against disadvantageous measures (including dismissal) for whistleblowing.
⫸ For more detailed information, see the section above titled: "Prohibited grounds".

▶ Labour Standards Act (LSA) - (as amended in 2024)
→ Section 27 LSA (Written Notification of Reasons for Dismissal) indicates that:
(1) When an employer intends to dismiss an employee, he or she shall notify the employee in writing of grounds and timing for the dismissal.
(2)The dismissal of an employee shall become effective only upon a written notice pursuant to paragraph (1).
(3)Where an employer has given an employee an advance notice of dismissal under section 26 in writing, stating grounds and timing for dismissal, the employer shall be deemed to have given notification under paragraph (1).

▶ Labour Standards Act [LSA] (as amended in 2024)
→ Section 26 LSA (Advance Notice of Dismissal) indicates that: When an employer intends to dismiss an employee (including dismissal for management reasons), he or she shall give the employee a notice of dismissal at least 30 days in advance of such dismissal, and, if the employer fails to give such advance notice, he or she shall pay such employee a 30 days' ordinary wage at the least: Provided, That where any of the following is applicable, this shall not apply:
1.Where the period during which the employee has worked continuously is less than three months;
2.Where continuation of the business is impossible due to natural disasters, incidents or other unavoidable circumstances;
3.Where the employee has intentionally caused serious damage to the business or property loss, which falls under the reasons prescribed by the Ministerial Decree of Employment and Labour.

▶ Enforcement Decree of the Labour Standards Act (ED-LSA) - (as amended in 2025)
→ Section 10 ED-LSA indicates that:
(1)An employer who intends to lay off employees in numbers in accordance with section 24 (4) of the Act shall submit a report thereon to the Minister of Employment and Labour at least 30 days before the date on which the intended layoff begins:
1.The business or workplace with a regular workforce of not more than 99 employees: 10 persons or more;
2.The business or workplace with a regular workforce of at least 100 employees, but no more than 999 employees: Ten per cent or more of the number of the regular workforce;
3.The business or workplace with a regular workforce of at least 1,000 employees: 100 persons or more. (...).
▶ Labour Standards Act (LSA) - (as amended in 2024)
→ Section 24(1) and (4) LSA indicates that:
(1) Where an employer intends to dismiss an employee for managerial reasons, there must be an urgent managerial necessity. In this case, it shall be deemed that there is an urgent managerial necessity for the transfer, merger, or acquisition of the business in order to prevent managerial deterioration.
(...).
(4) When an employer intends to dismiss personnel under paragraph (1) above, the fixed limit prescribed by Presidential Decree, he or she shall report to the Minister of Employment and Labour as determined by Presidential Decree.

▷ Consultation with the workers' representatives shall take place prior to any dismissal for managerial reasons, regardless of the number of employees concerned (§ 24 LSA).
▶ Labour Standards Act (LSA) - (as amended in 2024)
→ Section 24 LSA indicates that:
(1)Where an employer intends to dismiss an employee for managerial reasons, there must be an urgent managerial necessity. In this case, it shall be deemed that there is an urgent managerial necessity for the transfer, merger, or acquisition of the business in order to prevent managerial deterioration.
(2) (...).
(3)Where there is an organized labour union that represents more than half of the employees at the business or workplace, the employer shall inform at least 50 days before the intended date of dismissal and consult in good faith with the labour union (where there is no such organized labour union, this shall refer to a person who represents more than half of the employees; hereinafter referred to as "labour representative") regarding the methods for avoiding dismissals, the criteria for dismissal, etc. under paragraph (2). (...).

▶ Enforcement Decree of the Labour Standards Act (ED-LSA) - (as amended in 2025)
→ Section 10 ED-LSA indicates that:
(1)An employer who intends to lay off employees in numbers in accordance with section 24(4) of the Act shall submit a report thereon to the Minister of Employment and Labour at least 30 days before the date on which the intended layoff begins:
1.The business or workplace with a regular workforce of not more than 99 employees: 10 persons or more;
2.The business or workplace with a regular workforce of at least 100 employees, but no more than 999 employees: Ten per cent or more of the number of the regular workforce;
3.The business or workplace with a regular workforce of at least 1,000 employees: 100 persons or more.
(2)The reporting under paragraph (1) shall contain the following matters:
1.Grounds for layoff;
2.Planned number of employees for layoff;
3.Details of agreement with the representative of employees;
4.Timetable for layoff.
▶ Labour Standards Act (LSA) - (as amended in 2024)
→ Section 24(1) and (4) LSA indicates that:
(1) Where an employer intends to dismiss an employee for managerial reasons, there must be an urgent managerial necessity. In this case, it shall be deemed that there is an urgent managerial necessity for the transfer, merger, or acquisition of the business in order to prevent managerial deterioration.
(...).
(4) When an employer intends to dismiss personnel under paragraph (1) above, the fixed limit prescribed by Presidential Decree, he or she shall report to the Minister of Employment and Labour as determined by Presidential Decree.

▷ Employer shall inform workers' representatives at least 50 days in advance. Notification to the workers' representatives shall take place prior to any dismissal for managerial reasons, regardless of the number of employees concerned (§ 24(3) LSA).
▶ Labour Standards Act (LSA) - (as amended in 2024)
→ Section 24 LSA indicates that:
(1)Where an employer intends to dismiss an employee for managerial reasons, there must be an urgent managerial necessity. In this case, it shall be deemed that there is an urgent managerial necessity for the transfer, merger, or acquisition of the business in order to prevent managerial deterioration.
(2) (...).
(3)Where there is an organized labour union that represents more than half of the employees at the business or workplace, the employer shall inform at least 50 days before the intended date of dismissal and consult in good faith with the labour union (where there is no such organized labour union, this shall refer to a person who represents more than half of the employees; hereinafter referred to as "labour representative") regarding the methods for avoiding dismissals, the criteria for dismissal, etc. under paragraph (2). (...).

No statutory provisions were found in the examined legislation in this respect.

No statutory provisions were found in the examined legislation in this respect.

▷ No statutory selection criteria for collective dismissals. However, section 24(2) of the LSA provides that the employer shall select workers to be dismissed by establishing rational and fair criteria, and that there shall be no discrimination on the basis of gender.
▶ Labour Standards Act (LSA) - (as amended in 2024)
→ Section 24(2) LSA indicates that: Where an employer intends to dismiss an employee for managerial reasons, (...), an employer shall make every effort to avoid dismissal and shall establish and follow reasonable and fair criteria for the selection of those persons subject to dismissal. In this case, there shall be no discrimination on the basis of gender. (...).

▶ Labour Standards Act (LSA) - (as amended in 2024)
→ Section 25 LSA indicates that: When an employer who has dismissed an employee under the provisions of section 24 intends to hire, within three years of the date of the dismissal, any employee who will perform the same duty as the dismissed employee did at the time of such dismissal, he or she shall preferentially rehire the employee dismissed under section 24, if the employee so desires.

▷ Employers' obligation to make every effort.
▶ Labour Standards Act (LSA) - (as amended in 2024)
→ Section 24(2) LSA indicates that: Where an employer intends to dismiss an employee for managerial reasons, (...), an employer shall make every effort to avoid dismissal and shall establish and follow reasonable and fair criteria for the selection of those persons subject to dismissal. In this case, there shall be no discrimination on the basis of gender. (...).

No statutory severance pay as such or redundancy payment.