Unpaid Wages in Korea: How to File a Complaint the Right Way

If an employer fails to pay wages, foreign workers have the right to file a complaint with their local Employment and Labor Office, regardless of visa type or nationality.

How to file a complaint

• File in person at the Employment and Labor Office near your workplace, or online through the Ministry of Employment and Labor's civil petition portal
• Prepare your employment contract, bank statements showing wage payments, attendance records, and any messages or communication related to wages
• After the complaint is received, the labor office will summon both sides for mediation

If the employer still does not pay

You will be issued a certificate confirming unpaid wages, which can be used as grounds for a civil lawsuit or to request further support. In certain qualifying cases (such as employer bankruptcy or inability to pay), you may apply for substitute wage payment through the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service.

Where to get help

If you need language support, you can call the foreign worker counseling hotline 1350 (multilingual support available) or contact your local foreign worker support center.