Origins
The paid weekly rest day has been part of Korea's Labor Standards Act since it was enacted in 1953. In an era of long hours and low pay, it guaranteed one paid day of rest a week. It drew on international norms such as ILO Convention No. 14 (1921) on weekly rest and on Japanese labor law. Few countries require the rest day to be paid, which makes it a distinctive feature of Korean pay.
Conditions and formula
A worker scheduled for at least 15 hours a week who attends every scheduled day earns the allowance (Arts. 18(3) and 55). The labor ministry also requires that work be scheduled for the following week. The formula is (weekly scheduled hours ÷ 40) × 8 × hourly wage, capped at eight hours' pay. At ₩10,000 an hour for 20 hours a week, that's 20 ÷ 40 × 8 × 10,000 = ₩40,000.
Link to the minimum wage
The 209-hour month used to convert the minimum wage into monthly pay includes weekly holiday hours: (40 + 8) × about 4.345 weeks. A part-timer paid exactly the minimum hourly rate is still owed the allowance separately. Lateness or leaving early doesn't count as absence.
FAQ
- Do small workplaces have to pay it?
- Yes, regardless of the number of employees.
- What about the final week before quitting?
- Under ministry guidance, no allowance arises if no work is scheduled for the following week.
Sources reviewed: 2026-10-26
References
- 근로기준법 (법률), 국가법령정보센터. https://www.law.go.kr
- 고용노동부. 근로기준법 해설 및 질의회시.
- 최저임금법 (법률), 국가법령정보센터.
- 고용노동부. 주휴일·주휴수당 질의회시.