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Insurance & Medical

Insurance & Medical

Health insurance is mandatory in Korea — and it’s why care is affordable when you need it. Here’s who joins, what you’ll pay, and how to actually see a doctor, for foreigners.

Featured · NHIS premiumestimateA rough estimate. Compare your own numbers in the full tool.
Monthly income
KRW
your monthly premium
120,122KRW/mo
As an employee your employer adds 120,122KRW.
Open the full calculator

QWho has to join, and when?

Everyone working in Korea joins NHIS automatically through their employer. If you’re not employed — student, dependent or job-seeker — you’re enrolled as a local subscriber after about 6 months of residence, and you pay a premium even with no Korean income.

Why is that — NHIS is mandatory for residents, which keeps the system universal and your costs low when you actually need care. The 6-month rule is why many newcomers get a first bill that catches them off guard.

How it differs
E-7 / E-9 worker Enrolled by your employer from day one; the premium comes out of your pay.
D-2 student Usually a local subscriber after about 6 months — budget for the monthly premium.
Use the calculator above to estimate your monthly premium either way.
National Health Insurance Service As of 2026-03-01

QHow much is the premium?

As an employee it’s about 3.5% of your salary — your half, with your employer paying the other half — deducted from pay. As a local subscriber you pay the full rate yourself, assessed on income and property, with a minimum floor.

Why is that — Employees split the roughly 7% health rate 50/50 with their employer, while local subscribers carry it all — which is why the same income can cost noticeably more. Long-term care insurance is added on top (about 13% of the health premium).

Employee share~3.5% of pay
Employer sharesame again
Local subscriberfull rate, self-paid
Long-term care~13% of health
National Health Insurance Service As of 2026-03-01

QWhat does it cover?

NHIS covers a large share of clinic, hospital and prescription costs — you pay a smaller co-payment. Cosmetic care, implants and some scans are partly covered or not at all, so many people add private insurance for the gaps.

Why is that — Providers bill NHIS directly, so you usually just pay your co-payment at the desk. Dental basics like fillings and extractions are partly covered; implants and orthodontics largely aren’t.

For big planned procedures, ask what’s covered (급여) versus non-covered (비급여) before you commit.
NHIS coverage guide As of 2026-02-15

QHow do I see a doctor?

Bring your ARC — clinics look you up by it. Go to a clinic (의원) for minor issues and a hospital (병원) for bigger ones; pharmacies (약국) fill prescriptions. Keep your premium paid to stay covered.

Why is that — Korea has no strict GP gatekeeping, so you can walk into most clinics directly. Co-payments are small at clinics and rise at larger hospitals, which nudges you to start small.

Where to go
의원 Clinic Minor illness, first stop — lowest co-payment, usually walk-in.
병원 Hospital Bigger issues, tests, specialists — higher co-payment.
National Health Insurance Service As of 2026-02-15

Related calculators

Common terms

NHIS (국민건강보험)Korea’s mandatory national health insurance직장가입자 (employee)Enrolled through an employer; premium split 50/50지역가입자 (local)Self-employed or non-worker; pays the full premium장기요양보험 (long-term care)Add-on insurance, about 13% of the health premium본인부담금 (co-payment)The share of a medical bill you pay yourself비급여 (non-covered)Treatments NHIS doesn’t pay for — you pay in full
See the full glossary →

Health insurance basics

  1. Confirm enrollment
    Through your employer, or with NHIS as a local subscriber
  2. Keep your ARC handy
    Clinics look you up by your ARC at the desk
  3. Pay premiums on time
    Unpaid premiums can affect your visa renewal
  4. Know clinic vs hospital
    Start at a clinic for minor issues — lower co-payment
  5. Check coverage first
    Ask covered (급여) vs non-covered (비급여) before big procedures

Frequently asked

Dependents can sometimes be added to an employee subscriber if they meet the conditions; otherwise each person is enrolled separately. Check the requirements with NHIS.

Coverage can be suspended, and unpaid premiums can affect visa renewals. Contact NHIS early if you’re struggling to pay — don’t just ignore the bill.

Premiums generally aren’t refunded, but you stop owing once you deregister your residence on departure. Settle any balance before you go.

This page is general information, not insurance, medical or tax advice. Rates, coverage and rules change — confirm with NHIS and official sources for your situation.