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  • Medical Insurance Claim in Korea: Which Papers to Get

    Medical Insurance Claim in Korea: Which Papers to Get

    Most medical insurance claims in Korea use three papers. The first is the medical bill receipt (진료비 계산서·영수증), and the second is the itemized bill (진료비 세부산정내역). The third is a paper that shows your diagnosis, if the insurer asks for one. The receipt has no box for the diagnosis, so that third paper comes from the doctor.

    If you are covered by National Health Insurance, the hospital must give you the itemized bill when you ask. This guide shows what each paper proves and which boxes on the receipt matter. It then covers claims to Korean private insurance and to an insurer abroad.

    What this guide covers
    01 Which paper proves what
    02 Which three boxes to check on the receipt
    03 How to get an itemized bill
    04 How to get the papers in English
    05 How to claim Korean private medical insurance
    06 How to claim from an insurer abroad
    07 What to say at the counter
    08 Frequently asked questions

    Which paper proves what

    Each paper answers one question for an insurer: what was charged, what it was for, or what illness you had. Only some of them carry the diagnosis.

    Hospital papers for an insurance claim
    Rules on the Standards for National Health Insurance Care Benefits, Article 7 · Enforcement Rule of the Medical Service Act, Articles 9 and 12
    Paper Korean name What it proves Diagnosis on it
    Medical bill receipt 진료비 계산서·영수증 What was charged and what you paid No
    Itemized bill 진료비 세부산정내역 Each item, with its unit price, number of times and total No
    Prescription 처방전 The medicines the doctor prescribed A disease code, unless you asked the doctor to leave it out
    Medical certificate 진단서 The diagnosis, treatment and dates, written by the doctor Yes
    Outpatient visit confirmation 통원확인서 The dates you visited No
    Admission and discharge confirmation 입퇴원확인서 The dates of your hospital stay No

    When an insurer asks for proof of the illness, the receipt and the itemized bill are not enough. Send a medical certificate, or ask the insurer whether the disease code on a prescription will do. The doctor must give you two copies of a prescription, so keep one.

    Related guide
    Medical Certificate in Korea: Which Paper Has the Diagnosis
    Which hospital papers show your diagnosis, what each one costs, and what to ask the doctor.

    Ask for every paper at one visit to the desk. If you need two copies of the same certificate, the fee cap for the second copy is 1,000 KRW.

    Which three boxes to check on the receipt

    Form verified October 2026 · Rules on the Standards for National Health Insurance Care Benefits, Article 7 and Form 6

    For National Health Insurance care, hospitals issue a receipt on a standard form. Smaller clinics may use a short version of it. The form has many boxes, and these three show what you paid and why.

    Three boxes on the medical bill receipt
    Form 6, 진료비 계산서·영수증
    Box Korean label What it shows
    ① Your share of covered care 본인부담금 The part of covered care that you pay. The note on the form gives 30% to 60% for outpatient care, by type of hospital, and 20% for a hospital stay
    ④ Not covered 비급여 Care that National Health Insurance does not cover. You pay all of it
    ⑪ Amount paid 납부한 금액 What you actually paid, split into card, cash receipt and cash

    The receipt shows totals by category, such as tests or medicines. It does not list each test or the diagnosis, so add the itemized bill and, if needed, a medical certificate.

    How to get an itemized bill

    Article 7 (3) of the same rules says that a hospital must provide the itemized bill when an insured patient asks for it. The bill lists each covered and non-covered item with its unit price, the number of times, the period and the total. For covered items, it also separates your share from the share paid by the National Health Insurance Service.

    The back of the receipt says the same thing: you can ask the hospital for the details of the receipt. Ask at the desk where you paid. At Seoul National University Hospital, for example, outpatients ask at a payment desk or the certificate desk, and inpatients ask at the inpatient office.

    This duty covers people insured by National Health Insurance. If you are not covered, ask the hospital whether it issues one.

    How to get the papers in English

    Fee cap verified October 2026 · Ministry of Health and Welfare Notice No. 2021-34

    The English medical certificate (영문 진단서) is on the ministry’s fee list. Its cap is 20,000 KRW, the same as the Korean one. Ask the doctor for it during the consultation.

    The ministry defines it as the official medical certificate form written in English. The instructions on that form say that a disease name written in English is written with the Korean name beside it.

    For receipts and itemized bills in English, ask the hospital. Seoul National University Hospital, for example, issues receipts and itemized bills in English at its international payment desk.

    How to claim Korean private medical insurance

    Rules verified October 2026 · Insurance Business Act, Article 102-6 · Financial Services Commission, 23 October 2025

    Korean private medical insurance that pays back your actual costs is called 실손의료보험 (sil-son insurance). You can ask the hospital to send your claim papers straight to your insurer. Article 102-6 of the Insurance Business Act says the hospital must do so unless it has a valid reason.

    This started on 25 October 2024 at hospitals and public health centers. It reached clinics and pharmacies on 25 October 2025. The service runs through Silson24 (실손24), an app and website at silson24.or.kr, and it sends three papers.

    Papers Silson24 sends to your insurer
    ✓ The medical bill receipt (진료비 계산서·영수증)
    ✓ The itemized bill (진료비 세부산정내역서)
    ✓ The prescription (처방전)
    A medical certificate is not on the list
    If your insurer asks for a medical certificate, get it from the doctor separately.

    Not every hospital is linked to Silson24 yet. The app has a search for linked hospitals and a button to ask a hospital to join. On timing, Article 662 of the Commercial Act states that the right to claim insurance money expires if it is not used for three years.

    How to claim from an insurer abroad

    An insurer outside Korea, including a travel insurer, sets its own list of papers. Get that list first. Then match each item to its Korean name below, and show the Korean name at the desk.

    Matching an insurer’s list to Korean papers
    Korean names as written on the official forms and in the ministry’s fee notice
    On your insurer’s list Korean paper Where to ask
    Receipt, invoice, proof of payment 진료비 계산서·영수증 Payment desk
    Itemized bill, detailed statement of charges 진료비 세부산정내역 Payment desk or certificate desk
    Medical certificate, medical report, diagnosis 진단서 The doctor, during the consultation
    Prescription 처방전 The doctor
    Proof of outpatient visits 통원확인서 Hospital office
    Proof of hospital stay 입퇴원확인서 Hospital office

    If the list asks for English, ask for the English versions at the same visit. The lines below cover each request.

    What to say at the counter

    A hospital runs in Korean. Show the Korean line on your phone, or read the romanized line aloud. The fourth line is for the doctor, and the others are for the desk.

    보험 청구할 서류가 필요해요.
    Bo-heom cheong-gu-hal seo-ryu-ga pi-ryo-hae-yo.
    “I need papers for an insurance claim.”
    Say this first at the payment desk.
    진료비 세부내역서도 발급해 주세요.
    Jil-lyo-bi se-bu-nae-yeok-seo-do bal-geu-pae ju-se-yo.
    “Please issue an itemized bill too.”
    Say this next, after you ask for the receipt.
    영문으로도 발급되나요?
    Yeong-mu-neu-ro-do bal-geup-doe-na-yo?
    “Can you issue it in English?”
    Ask this if your insurer needs English papers.
    보험사에 낼 영문 진단서를 써 주실 수 있나요?
    Bo-heom-sa-e nael yeong-mun jin-dan-seo-reul sseo ju-sil su in-na-yo?
    “Could you write an English medical certificate for my insurer?”
    Ask the doctor during the consultation.
    입퇴원확인서도 발급해 주세요.
    Ip-toe-won-hwa-gin-seo-do bal-geu-pae ju-se-yo.
    “Please issue an admission and discharge confirmation too.”
    Use this after a hospital stay.

    Frequently asked questions

    Do hospitals have to give you an itemized bill if requested?
    Yes, if you are covered by National Health Insurance. Article 7 (3) of the Rules on the Standards for National Health Insurance Care Benefits says the hospital must provide it when you ask.
    Where can I get an itemized hospital bill?
    At the desk where you paid, or at the hospital’s certificate desk. A hospital linked to Silson24 can also send it to a Korean insurer for you.
    What documents are needed for a travel insurance claim?
    Your insurer decides, so ask it for the list. Then match each item with the table in the section on insurers abroad. A paper that shows the diagnosis comes from the doctor, not from the payment desk.
    How to ask for a receipt in Korean?
    Say 영수증 주세요 (yeong-su-jeung ju-se-yo), which means “Please give me the receipt.” For the itemized bill, use the second line in the counter section above.

    Official sources

    Every figure here comes from the pages below. Rules change, so open the page before you act on it.

    · Rules on the Standards for National Health Insurance Care Benefits (국민건강보험 요양급여의 기준에 관한 규칙) · Article 7 and Form 6, receipts and itemized bills
    · Enforcement Rule of the Medical Service Act (의료법 시행규칙) · Article 12, prescriptions · Article 9 and Form 5-2, medical certificates
    · Ministry of Health and Welfare (보건복지부) · 의료기관의 제증명수수료 항목 및 금액에 관한 기준, fee caps
    · Insurance Business Act (보험업법) · Article 102-6, sending claim papers · Commercial Act (상법) · Article 662, time limit
    · Financial Services Commission (금융위원회) · 실손보험 청구 전산화 확대 시행, 23 October 2025
    · Seoul National University Hospital (서울대학교병원) · 진단서발급, receipts and itemized bills · Issuance Service (English)
    Information verified as of October 2026. Claim rules and hospital procedures change. Confirm details with the hospital, your insurer and the official source before you claim, or call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345.
    This site is not affiliated with the Korean government. Always confirm details with the official source.
  • What to Do When a Landlord in Korea Keeps Your Deposit

    What to Do When a Landlord in Korea Keeps Your Deposit

    Since July 2023, a court can register your lease on the property before the landlord has even received the court’s decision. That registration is the core of the lease registration order (임차권등기명령). The Housing Lease Protection Act gives this tool to a tenant whose lease has ended without the deposit coming back.

    The order lets you move out without losing the protection you built up. This guide covers how the order works and how to apply for it. It also covers the mediation committees that settle deposit disputes, and the part of a small deposit the law pays out first. It also shows where a foreign resident’s papers differ from the Korean forms.

    What this guide covers
    01 What the law already gives you when the lease ends
    02 How a lease registration order works
    03 How to apply for the order, step by step
    04 How dispute mediation works
    05 How much of a small deposit is paid first
    06 What to say at the counter
    07 Frequently asked questions

    What the law already gives you when the lease ends

    Two rules protect you on the day the lease ends. Article 4 (2) of the Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법) says the lease is treated as continuing until you get the deposit back. Article 9 of the standard contract says the landlord returns the deposit at the same time you hand back the home.

    The catch is what keeps your protection alive. Protection against third parties rests on living in the home and keeping your registration there (Article 3 (1)). For a foreign resident, that registration is the change-of-residence report (체류지 변경신고), under Article 88-2 (2) of the Immigration Act. Moving out, or reporting a new address, can end that protection unless the lease is registered first.

    Three routes when the deposit does not come back
    Housing Lease Protection Act
    Route What it does Rule
    Lease registration order Registers the lease so you keep your rights after moving out Article 3-3
    Dispute mediation A committee proposes a settlement. If both accept with an enforcement clause, it can be enforced like a judgment Articles 14 to 27
    Court action A suit for the deposit, with small-claims procedure rules applied Article 13

    The routes are not either-or. A registration order protects your position while mediation or a lawsuit deals with the money.

    How a lease registration order works

    Rules verified September 2026 · Housing Lease Protection Act, Article 3-3 · Supreme Court rule on lease registration orders

    Article 3-3 (1) sets the condition: the lease has ended and the deposit has not been returned. You apply to the district court, branch court, or city or county court for the area where the home is. The Supreme Court rule on the procedure sets the stamp duty at 2,000 KRW (Article 2 (3)).

    What the registration does
    ✓ Keeps what you had. Protection against third parties and repayment priority you already held stay in place, even after you move out or change your registration (Article 3-3 (5))
    ✓ Or gives it to you. If you did not hold them before, you gain them when the registration is complete
    ✓ Takes effect early. For a housing lease, the court may register it before the landlord receives the decision. The order takes effect on service or registration (rule, Articles 4 and 5, since 19 July 2023)
    ✓ Blocks later small-deposit priority. A tenant who rents the same space after the registration cannot use the small-deposit priority (Article 3-3 (6))
    ✓ Costs go to the landlord. You can claim the costs of the application and registration from the landlord (Article 3-3 (8))

    The first line is the reason to wait. Until the registration is complete, keep living there and keep your registration at that address.

    How to apply for the order, step by step

    The Supreme Court rule lists what goes into the application and what goes with it. The steps below follow that list.

    Step 1 — Get a register certificate for the home

    The rule asks for the register certificate (등기사항증명서) of a home registered in the landlord’s name. Anyone can get one from a registry office or the Internet Registry Office.

    Step 2 — Gather the lease contract and the fixed-date stamp

    Attach the lease contract. If you already hold repayment priority, the contract must carry the fixed date, or be a notarized deed.

    Step 3 — Prove your move-in and registration dates

    The application must state the date you started living there and the date your registration was complete, with documents that show them. The Korean form speaks of resident registration. Article 88-2 (1) of the Immigration Act fills that gap. Your ARC or a certificate of foreign registration (외국인등록 사실증명) stands in where a resident registration certificate is required.

    Step 4 — Complete the application

    It names you, the landlord and the home, with a floor plan if you rented only part of it. It also states the unpaid deposit and rent, and the reason. The reason covers the contract, its terms, why it ended, and your move-in, registration and fixed-date dates. You or your agent signs it.

    Step 5 — File at the court for the home’s area, with the 2,000 KRW stamp

    The court decides by written decision and serves it on both sides. If it refuses, you can appeal (Article 3-3 (4)).

    Step 6 — Move only after the registration is complete

    The court asks the registry office to enter the lease, and the registry reports back to the court when the entry is done. The register certificate will then show the lease registration.

    How dispute mediation works

    Fees verified September 2026 · Housing Lease Protection Act, Articles 21 to 27 · Decree Schedule 2 via MyHome portal

    Housing Lease Dispute Conciliation Committees (주택임대차분쟁조정위원회) sit at branches of three public bodies. They are the Korea Legal Aid Corporation, the Korea Land and Housing Corporation and the Korea Real Estate Board. Provinces and metropolitan cities may set up their own. You apply to the committee for the area where the home is (Article 21 (1)).

    Mediation in one table
    Housing Lease Protection Act · Enforcement Decree
    Point Rule
    What it covers Rent and deposit increases or cuts, the lease term, return of the deposit or the home, repairs, and more listed in Enforcement Decree Article 22
    How to apply In writing, including electronic documents, or orally to the committee staff (Decree Article 30)
    Time limit 60 days from the application. The committee may extend it by up to 30 days (Article 23)
    If the landlord will not take part The application is dismissed if the respondent says it will not join (Article 21 (3) 5)
    Accepting the proposal Each side has 14 days to accept in writing. Silence counts as refusal (Article 26 (2))
    Enforcement If both agree to allow compulsory enforcement, the settlement can be enforced like a judgment (Articles 26 (4) and 27)
    Application fees
    Enforcement Decree Schedule 2 · amount at stake in the mediation
    Amount at stake Fee
    Under 100 million KRW 10,000 KRW
    100 million to under 300 million KRW 20,000 KRW
    300 million to under 500 million KRW 30,000 KRW
    500 million to under 1 billion KRW 50,000 KRW
    1 billion KRW or more 100,000 KRW
    Amount cannot be worked out 10,000 KRW

    The committee may waive the fee for a tenant who qualifies for the small-deposit priority below (Decree Article 33 (2) 1). If you withdraw before the committee meets, half the fee comes back.

    How much of a small deposit is paid first

    Amounts verified September 2026 · Housing Lease Protection Act, Article 8 · Enforcement Decree, Articles 10 and 11

    Article 8 lets a tenant with a small deposit take part of it ahead of mortgage holders when the home is auctioned. Two conditions apply. The deposit must be at or under the limit for the area, and you must have moved in and registered before the auction was registered.

    Small-deposit priority by area
    Enforcement Decree Articles 10 and 11 · amended 21 February 2023
    Area Deposit must be at or under Amount paid first, up to
    Seoul 165,000,000 KRW 55,000,000 KRW
    Overcrowding control zones of the capital region outside Seoul, Sejong, Yongin, Hwaseong, Gimpo 145,000,000 KRW 48,000,000 KRW
    Metropolitan cities (outside those zones and their counties), Ansan, Gwangju in Gyeonggi-do, Paju, Icheon, Pyeongtaek 85,000,000 KRW 28,000,000 KRW
    Everywhere else 75,000,000 KRW 25,000,000 KRW

    The amount paid first cannot exceed half the value of the home. If several small-deposit tenants share one house, the half is split among them in proportion (Decree Article 10 (2) and (3)).

    One area changed status in 2026. Gwangju Metropolitan City became part of Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City on 1 July 2026. Article 11 (10) of the Special Act covers laws that treat metropolitan cities and provinces differently. Until each such law is amended, the former Gwangju districts follow the metropolitan-city rules. The former South Jeolla cities and counties follow the province rules.

    What to say at the counter

    Court and committee counters run in Korean. Show the Korean line on your phone, or read the romanized line aloud.

    임차권등기명령 신청하러 왔습니다.
    Im-cha-gwon-deung-gi-myeong-nyeong sin-cheong-ha-reo wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I am here to apply for a lease registration order.”
    Say this at the civil filing counter of the court.
    보증금을 반환받지 못했습니다.
    Bo-jeung-geu-meul ban-hwan-bat-ji mo-tae-sseum-ni-da.
    “I have not received my deposit back.”
    Say this next, to explain why you are there.
    주택임대차 분쟁조정 신청하러 왔습니다.
    Ju-taek-im-dae-cha bun-jaeng-jo-jeong sin-cheong-ha-reo wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I am here to apply for housing lease dispute mediation.”
    Say this at the committee office.
    수수료 면제 대상인지 확인해 주시겠어요?
    Su-su-ryo myeon-je dae-sang-in-ji hwa-gin-hae ju-si-ge-sseo-yo?
    “Could you check whether I qualify for a fee waiver?”
    Ask this if your deposit is within the small-deposit limits.
    외국인등록 사실증명 발급해 주세요.
    Oe-gu-gin-deung-nok sa-sil-jeung-myeong bal-geu-pae ju-se-yo.
    “Please issue a certificate of foreign registration.”
    Ask this when you need proof of your registration date.

    Frequently asked questions

    What can I do if my landlord doesn’t return my deposit?
    The Housing Lease Protection Act gives three routes. They are a lease registration order to protect your position, mediation by a dispute conciliation committee, and a court action. The first protects your rights; the other two deal with the money. They can run side by side.
    How long does a landlord have to pay back a deposit?
    The standard contract ties the deposit to the handover. Article 9 says the landlord returns it at the same time you hand back the home. Until then, Article 4 (2) of the Act treats the lease as continuing.
    Can I move out before I get my deposit back?
    Your protection rests on living there and keeping your registration. Once a lease registration order is registered, Article 3-3 (5) keeps the rights you already had, even after you move. Moving before that point risks them.
    Do I need a lawyer to apply for a lease registration order?
    The Supreme Court rule lets the tenant sign the application, or an agent. The stamp duty is 2,000 KRW. For free legal advice, the Korea Legal Aid Corporation runs the 132 line.
    Can a foreign tenant get the small-deposit priority?
    The priority requires the Article 3 (1) conditions: living in the home and completing registration before the auction is registered. For a foreign resident, Article 88-2 (2) of the Immigration Act makes the change-of-residence report count as that registration.
    Renting a home in Korea
    Korean Standard Lease Contract in English: What Each Part Says
    The official translation in three languages, and what each page, article and annex asks you to fill in.
    Before You Sign a Lease in Korea: What the Landlord Must Show
    The records the landlord must present, the landlord’s unpaid taxes, and how to read the register certificate.
    Fixed Date in Korea for Foreign Tenants: Protect Your Deposit
    Why your change-of-residence report is the move-in report, and where to get a fixed date for 600 KRW or less.
    Lease Renewal in Korea: The 2-Year Request and the 5% Cap
    When a lease renews on its own, the one renewal request you get, and how far rent can rise.

    Official sources

    Every rule here comes from the pages below. Laws and fees change, so open the page before you act on it.

    · Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법) · Article 3-3 · Article 4 · Article 8 · Article 13 · Article 21 · Article 26 · Article 27
    · Enforcement Decree of the Housing Lease Protection Act · Article 10 · Article 11 · Article 33
    · Supreme Court rule on lease registration orders (임차권등기명령 절차에 관한 규칙) · full text
    · Immigration Act (출입국관리법) · Article 88-2
    · Special Act on the Establishment of Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City (전남광주통합특별시 설치를 위한 특별법) · Article 11
    · MyHome portal, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (마이홈포털) · mediation fees
    Information verified as of September 2026. Laws, fees and area rules are amended from time to time. Confirm the details with the court or committee before you apply. For questions about your stay, call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345.
    This site is not affiliated with the Korean government. Always confirm details with the official source.
  • Medical Certificate in Korea: Which Paper Has the Diagnosis

    Medical Certificate in Korea: Which Paper Has the Diagnosis

    In English, “medical certificate” can mean two different papers in Korea. One is the health certificate (보건증) for food workers. The other is the medical certificate (진단서) that a doctor writes after examining you. When you miss work or school because you are ill, you need the second one, or one of the smaller papers below.

    A hospital can issue several papers after a visit. Some show your diagnosis, and some show only dates. This guide sorts them, gives the fee caps set by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and shows what a company and a school accept.

    What this guide covers
    01 Which paper shows your diagnosis
    02 What a medical certificate must include
    03 How to get one, step by step
    04 How much each paper costs
    05 What your employer may ask for
    06 What your child’s school accepts
    07 What to say at the counter
    08 Frequently asked questions

    Which paper shows your diagnosis

    The papers fall into two groups. A doctor writes the first group. The hospital office issues the second group from its records, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare defines each one by what it records.

    Papers a hospital issues after a visit
    Medical Service Act Article 17 · Ministry of Health and Welfare Notice No. 2021-34
    Paper Korean name Shows the diagnosis Issued by
    Medical certificate 진단서 Yes. The law requires the disease name and code The doctor who examined you
    Doctor’s opinion letter 소견서 Only if the doctor includes it The doctor
    Treatment confirmation 진료확인서 No. Personal details and a specific treatment, such as a test or medicine Hospital office
    Outpatient visit confirmation 통원확인서 No. Personal details and visit dates Hospital office
    Admission and discharge confirmation 입퇴원확인서 No. Personal details and hospital stay dates Hospital office

    A confirmation proves that you came on those dates. It does not say what illness you had. If the paper has to show the illness, ask the doctor for a medical certificate, or for an opinion letter that states the diagnosis.

    What a medical certificate must include

    The content of a medical certificate is fixed by law. Article 9 of the Enforcement Rule of the Medical Service Act sets the items, and Form 5-2 (별지 제5호의2서식) sets the layout. These are the boxes on that form.

    The boxes on the medical certificate form
    Enforcement Rule of the Medical Service Act, Article 9 and Form 5-2
    Korean box What it records
    환자의 성명 · 주민등록번호 · 주소 Your name, registration number and address
    병명 — 임상적 추정 / 최종 진단 The disease name, marked as a clinical estimate or a final diagnosis, with main and secondary conditions
    질병분류기호 The disease code from the Korean Standard Classification of Diseases
    발병 연월일 · 진단 연월일 The date the illness started and the date of diagnosis
    치료 내용 및 향후 치료에 대한 소견 The treatment given and the doctor’s opinion on further treatment
    입원 · 퇴원 연월일 Hospital admission and discharge dates, if any
    용도 What the certificate is for
    비고 Remarks
    의료기관 명칭 · 면허번호 · 성명 The hospital, the doctor’s license number, name and signature

    The instructions printed on the form add two points. The doctor checks your identity against an official ID, and the list includes a valid passport and an Alien Registration Card. The disease name is written in Korean. If the doctor writes it in English, the Korean name goes beside it.

    How to get one, step by step

    Article 17 of the Medical Service Act lets only the doctor who examined you write your medical certificate. The same article says the doctor cannot refuse your request without a valid reason.

    Step 1 — Ask the doctor during your visit

    Make the request in the consultation room. Seoul National University Hospital, for example, asks patients to request a certificate from the doctor during the consultation. A request after the visit can mean another consultation.

    Step 2 — Say what it is for

    The form has a box for its purpose. Tell the doctor where you will hand it in, such as your company or your child’s school. If the paper must show the illness or the treatment period, say so now.

    Step 3 — Show your ID

    Bring your passport or your Alien Registration Card. For a child, the form also allows other papers, such as a student ID.

    Step 4 — Pay at the desk

    Collect the certificate when you pay after the consultation. The fee for the paper is separate from the consultation fee.

    Step 5 — Ask for every copy at once

    If both a company and a school need one, ask for two at the same visit. The second copy is capped at 1,000 KRW.

    How much each paper costs

    Fee caps verified October 2026 · Ministry of Health and Welfare Notice No. 2021-34

    The Ministry of Health and Welfare sets a maximum fee for each certificate. A hospital chooses its own fee between zero and that cap.

    Fee caps for certificates
    Standard for certificate fees at medical institutions (Ministry of Health and Welfare Notice No. 2021-34)
    Paper Korean name Cap
    Medical certificate 진단서 20,000 KRW
    English medical certificate · insurance claim guide (coming soon) 영문 진단서 20,000 KRW
    Doctor’s opinion letter 소견서 Not on the list. Each hospital sets its own fee
    Treatment confirmation 진료확인서 3,000 KRW
    Outpatient visit confirmation 통원확인서 3,000 KRW
    Admission and discharge confirmation 입퇴원확인서 3,000 KRW
    Extra copy of the same certificate 제증명서 사본 1,000 KRW

    The caps do not include the consultation fee. The notice also requires every hospital to post its certificate fees where patients can see them. That includes the fee it sets for an opinion letter, so ask at the desk before the doctor writes one.

    What your employer may ask for

    Rules verified October 2026 · Ministry of Employment and Labor, 2026 model work rules, Article 41

    Sick leave and the papers it needs come from your company’s work rules (취업규칙). Under Article 93 of the Labor Standards Act, a company with 10 or more regular workers must write and report these rules.

    The Ministry of Employment and Labor publishes model work rules (표준 취업규칙) that companies can follow. In the 2026 model, Article 41 covers sick leave:

    Sick leave in the 2026 model work rules
    ✓ Up to 60 days a year for an illness or injury that is not work-related
    ✓ Unpaid
    ✓ A medical certificate from the examining doctor for an absence of one week or more in a row

    The ministry marks this article as optional and notes that each workplace can set it differently. Your own company’s rules decide the number of days and the paper. Ask the person in charge of personnel which paper the company accepts before you see the doctor.

    What your child’s school accepts

    Rules verified October 2026 · 2026 school records guidelines (학교생활기록부 기재요령), Ministry of Education and 17 provincial education offices

    Elementary, middle and high schools follow the national guidelines for school records. The 2026 editions for all three levels use the same rule for an absence due to illness.

    Papers for an absence due to illness
    2026 school records guidelines, elementary, middle and high school
    Absence Paper to attach to the absence report
    Two days or less, and not repeated often A parent’s statement (학부모 의견서), a prescription (처방전), a homeroom teacher’s confirmation (담임교사 확인서) or similar
    Any other absence A doctor’s medical certificate or opinion (의사의 진단서 또는 의견서) that records the diagnosis and the treatment period

    Hand the absence report (결석 신고서) to the school within five days, counted from the first day of absence. The principal approves it. A treatment confirmation counts only if it records the diagnosis and the treatment period, so check the paper before you leave the hospital.

    Universities do not use these guidelines. A university student follows the attendance rules of that university.

    What to say at the counter

    A hospital runs in Korean. Show the Korean line on your phone, or read the romanized line aloud. The first two lines are for the doctor, and the last three are for the reception desk.

    진단서도 써 주실 수 있나요?
    Jin-dan-seo-do sseo ju-sil su in-na-yo?
    “Could you also write a medical certificate?”
    Ask the doctor during the consultation.
    회사에 낼 진단서가 필요해요.
    Hoe-sa-e nael jin-dan-seo-ga pi-ryo-hae-yo.
    “I need a medical certificate for my company.”
    Say this next. For a school, say 학교에 (hak-gyo-e) instead of 회사에.
    병명이 들어간 서류가 필요해요.
    Byeong-myeong-i deu-reo-gan seo-ryu-ga pi-ryo-hae-yo.
    “I need a paper that shows the diagnosis.”
    Use this at the desk if you are offered a confirmation with dates only.
    소견서는 비용이 얼마예요?
    So-gyeon-seo-neun bi-yong-i eol-ma-ye-yo?
    “How much is a doctor’s opinion letter?”
    Ask before the doctor writes one. Each hospital sets this fee.
    같은 걸로 한 부 더 발급해 주시겠어요?
    Ga-teun geol-lo han bu deo bal-geu-pae ju-si-ge-sseo-yo?
    “Could you issue one more copy of the same paper?”
    Use this when you pay, if you need more than one.

    Frequently asked questions

    How do I get a medical certificate in Korea?
    Ask the doctor during your visit and say what it is for. Show your passport or Alien Registration Card, then collect the certificate when you pay. Only the doctor who examined you can write it.
    How much is a medical certificate?
    The Ministry of Health and Welfare caps a medical certificate at 20,000 KRW, and an English one also at 20,000 KRW. The consultation fee is charged separately. A hospital can charge less than the cap, but not more.
    Can I get a Dr. note without going to the Dr.?
    No. Article 17 of the Medical Service Act lets only the doctor who examined you write a medical certificate. A confirmation from the hospital office covers only visits you already made.
    Can I get a copy of my medical certificate later?
    Hospitals must keep a duplicate of each certificate for three years. Seoul National University Hospital reissues certificates within that period. A family member or a person you appoint needs a copy of your ID and a consent form that you sign. An appointed person also needs a letter of authorization.

    Official sources

    Every figure here comes from the pages below. Rules change, so open the page before you act on it.

    · Medical Service Act (의료법) · Article 17, medical certificates
    · Enforcement Rule of the Medical Service Act (의료법 시행규칙) · Article 9 and Form 5-2, items on a medical certificate · Article 15, keeping records · Article 13-3, requests by family and agents
    · Ministry of Health and Welfare (보건복지부) · 의료기관의 제증명수수료 항목 및 금액에 관한 기준, fee caps
    · Ministry of Employment and Labor (고용노동부) · 2026 model work rules (표준 취업규칙) · Labor Standards Act, Article 93
    · Seoul National University Hospital (서울대학교병원) · 진단서발급, how to request and reissue certificates · Issuance Service (English)
    Information verified as of October 2026. Fees and hospital procedures change. Confirm details with the hospital and the official source before you go, or call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345.
    This site is not affiliated with the Korean government. Always confirm details with the official source.
  • Lease Renewal in Korea: The 2-Year Request and the 5% Cap

    Lease Renewal in Korea: The 2-Year Request and the 5% Cap

    Whether your lease continues, and at what price, depends on who gives notice and when. If neither side speaks up in time, the lease renews on the same terms for two years. If you ask for a renewal in time, the landlord can refuse only on grounds the law lists, and any increase is capped at 5%.

    This guide covers both routes under the Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법) and the grounds for refusal. It also covers the cap on increases and the separate limit on converting a deposit into monthly rent. The rules here come from the Act and its Enforcement Decree, with the Korean terms that appear on the standard contract.

    What this guide covers
    01 How a lease renews when nobody says anything
    02 How your renewal request works
    03 When the landlord can refuse a renewal
    04 How much the rent or deposit can go up
    05 What limits turning a deposit into monthly rent
    06 What paperwork follows a renewal
    07 Frequently asked questions

    How a lease renews when nobody says anything

    Rules verified September 2026 · Housing Lease Protection Act, Article 6 · Article 6-2

    Article 6 sets two notice windows. The landlord must give notice between six months and two months before the lease ends. The tenant must give notice by two months before the end. If neither does, the lease is treated as renewed on the same terms. This is called an implied renewal (묵시적 갱신).

    Implied renewal in one table
    Housing Lease Protection Act, Articles 6 and 6-2
    Point Rule
    Landlord’s notice window Six months to two months before the end: refuse, or offer changed terms
    Tenant’s notice deadline Two months before the end
    If nobody gives notice Renewed on the same terms, for two years
    Tenant leaving early Notice at any time. It takes effect three months after the landlord receives it
    Landlord leaving early Not by notice alone. Annex 1 of the standard contract requires an Article 7 ground, such as rent arrears of two payments, or the tenant’s agreement
    Who is excluded A tenant who let rent arrears reach two payments, or seriously broke a tenant’s duties

    The three-month rule is the one to plan around. Annex 1 of the standard contract says only that a tenant may end an implied renewal at any time. Article 6-2 (2) of the Act adds that the notice takes effect three months after the landlord receives it.

    How your renewal request works

    Article 6-3 gives the tenant a right to request a renewal (계약갱신요구권). You make the request in the same window as the landlord’s notice: six months to two months before the lease ends. The Act sets no special form for the request.

    What the renewal request gives you
    ✓ Once only. You can use it one time for the same lease
    ✓ Two more years. The renewed lease runs for two years
    ✓ Same terms. Everything carries over, except that rent and deposit may change within the Article 7 limits
    ✓ An early exit. You can still end the renewed lease with three months’ notice, as under Article 6-2
    ✓ Refusal only for listed reasons. The landlord cannot refuse without one of the nine grounds below

    An implied renewal or a new contract by agreement does not use up the request. Annex 1 of the standard lease contract states this directly, so the right stays available for a later lease period.

    When the landlord can refuse a renewal

    Article 6-3 (1) lists nine grounds. Annex 2 of the standard contract prints the same nine as tick boxes on a refusal notice (계약갱신 거절통지서). The notice takes effect when it reaches you.

    The nine grounds for refusal
    Housing Lease Protection Act, Article 6-3 (1)
    No. Ground
    1 Rent arrears have reached two payments
    2 The tenant got the lease by lying or other fraud
    3 Both sides agreed, and the landlord paid fair compensation
    4 The tenant sublet all or part of the home without consent
    5 The tenant damaged the home on purpose or through gross negligence
    6 All or part of the home was destroyed, so the lease cannot serve its purpose
    7 Demolition or rebuilding, if it was explained at signing, if the building is unsafe, or if another law requires it
    8 The landlord, or a lineal ascendant or descendant of the landlord such as a parent or child, will actually live there
    9 Another serious breach, or a serious reason the lease cannot go on

    Ground 8 carries a check. Suppose the landlord refuses on this ground, then leases the home to someone else without a just reason. If that happens before the renewed term would have ended, the landlord must pay damages (Article 6-3 (5)).

    Unless the two sides agreed an amount in advance, Article 6-3 (6) sets the damages as the largest of three sums. The first is three months of converted rent at the time of refusal. The second is two years of the gap between the new converted rent and the old one. The third is your actual loss.

    You can check whether the home was leased again. Under Articles 5 and 6 of the Enforcement Decree, a former tenant refused on ground 8 may ask a fixed-date office for the lease record. The record covers the period the renewal would have run. The landlord’s and new tenant’s names are included; other personal details are not.

    How much the rent or deposit can go up

    Rule verified September 2026 · Housing Lease Protection Act, Article 7 · Enforcement Decree, Article 8

    Article 7 lets either side ask for a change in rent or deposit when taxes, charges or economic conditions make it unfair. An increase has two limits, and the same limits apply when you renew through your request.

    Limits on an increase
    Housing Lease Protection Act Article 7 · Enforcement Decree Article 8
    Limit Rule Example
    Size No more than 1/20 (5%) of the current rent or deposit Deposit 100,000,000 KRW: up to 5,000,000 KRW more. Rent 500,000 KRW: up to 25,000 KRW more
    Timing Not within one year of the contract or the last increase An increase agreed in March cannot be followed by another before the next March
    Local rule Seoul, a metropolitan city or a province may set a lower cap by ordinance Check the ordinance of your city or province

    If you already paid more than the limits allow, Article 10-2 lets you claim the excess back. Article 10 also voids any term that breaks the Act to the tenant’s disadvantage. A term that goes past the cap falls under that rule.

    What limits turning a deposit into monthly rent

    Rate verified September 2026 · Housing Lease Protection Act, Article 7-2 · Enforcement Decree, Article 9 · Bank of Korea base rate

    When all or part of a deposit is turned into monthly rent, Article 7-2 caps the rate used for the conversion. The rate is the lower of two numbers set in Article 9 of the Enforcement Decree.

    The conversion cap
    Housing Lease Protection Act Article 7-2 · Enforcement Decree Article 9
    Measure Rate
    Fixed rate 10% a year
    Bank of Korea base rate plus 2 percentage points 3.00% + 2% = 5.00% a year (base rate 3.00% since 27 August 2026)
    Cap in use now 5.00% a year, the lower of the two

    Worked through: converting 10,000,000 KRW of deposit at 5% gives 500,000 KRW a year. Divided by 12, that is about 41,666 KRW a month at most.

    The Bank of Korea reviews the base rate eight times a year. When it changes, the cap moves with it, so check the rate on the day of the conversion.

    What paperwork follows a renewal

    A renewal is not only a matter between you and the landlord. Two records may need updating.

    After a renewal
    Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions · standard contract Annex 1
    If Then Rule
    Only the term is extended, money unchanged No lease report is needed Reporting Decree, Article 4-3 (1)
    Deposit or rent changes, in a reporting area, over the reporting amounts Report within 30 days. The report states whether the renewal request was used Reporting Act, Article 6-2 · Rule, Article 6-2 (1) 5
    The deposit goes up Get a new fixed date for the added amount Standard contract, Annex 1

    The standard contract has a box for this situation too. On page one, one of the contract types is a renewal through the tenant’s request under Article 6-3. It comes with space for the previous term, deposit and rent.

    Frequently asked questions

    How much maximum landlord can increase rent?
    5% of the current rent or deposit, under Article 7 of the Housing Lease Protection Act and Article 8 of its Enforcement Decree. No increase may come within one year of the contract or the last increase. Seoul, a metropolitan city or a province may set a lower cap by ordinance.
    Does a tenancy agreement automatically renew?
    Yes, if neither side gives notice in time. The landlord’s window is six to two months before the end, and the tenant’s deadline is two months before the end. The lease then continues on the same terms for two years.
    How to get out of automatic lease renewal?
    After an implied renewal, you can give notice at any time. Under Article 6-2 of the Act, it takes effect three months after the landlord receives it. The landlord does not have the same option.
    Does an implied renewal use up my renewal request?
    No. Annex 1 of the standard contract says an implied renewal or a renewal by agreement does not count as using the request. You keep it for a later period.
    Can the landlord refuse because a relative will move in?
    Yes, if the landlord or a lineal relative will actually live there. If the landlord instead leases the home to someone else without a just reason, damages may follow. That applies before the renewed term would have ended (Article 6-3 (5)).
    Renting a home in Korea
    Korean Standard Lease Contract in English: What Each Part Says
    The official translation in three languages, and what each page, article and annex asks you to fill in.
    Before You Sign a Lease in Korea: What the Landlord Must Show
    The records the landlord must present, the landlord’s unpaid taxes, and how to read the register certificate.
    Fixed Date in Korea for Foreign Tenants: Protect Your Deposit
    Why your change-of-residence report is the move-in report, and where to get a fixed date for 600 KRW or less.
    Lease Renewal in Korea: The 2-Year Request and the 5% Cap
    When a lease renews on its own, the one renewal request you get, and how far rent can rise.

    Official sources

    Every rule here comes from the pages below. Laws and rates change, so open the page before you act on it.

    · Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법) · Article 6 · Article 6-2 · Article 6-3 · Article 7 · Article 7-2 · Article 10-2
    · Enforcement Decree of the Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법 시행령) · Article 5 · Article 6 · Article 8 · Article 9
    · Bank of Korea (한국은행) · base rate history
    · Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions (부동산 거래신고 등에 관한 법률) · Article 6-2 · Enforcement Decree Article 4-3 · Enforcement Rule Article 6-2
    Information verified as of September 2026. Laws and the base rate change from time to time. Confirm the details with the official source before you act. For questions about your stay, call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345.
    This site is not affiliated with the Korean government. Always confirm details with the official source.
  • Yellow Fever Vaccine in Korea: Where to Get It and the Cost

    Yellow Fever Vaccine in Korea: Where to Get It and the Cost

    Older guides give the yellow fever vaccine a 10-year term. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) now states that one dose is valid for life. Protection takes about 10 days to build. In Korea, you get the shot only at a designated hospital. National quarantine stations issue and reissue the certificate, but they do not vaccinate.

    The paper you carry is the international certificate of vaccination (국제공인예방접종증명서), often called the yellow card. Some countries ask for it at the border. This guide covers who needs it and the 49 designated hospitals. It also covers the cost, what happens on the day, and how to replace a lost card.

    What this guide covers
    01 What the yellow card is and how long it lasts
    02 Who needs the yellow fever vaccine
    03 Where to get the shot in Korea
    04 How much it costs and how to pay
    05 What happens on the day
    06 How to replace a lost or old card
    07 What to say at the counter
    08 Frequently asked questions

    What the yellow card is and how long it lasts

    Rules verified October 2026 · Quarantine Act Article 28-2 · Enforcement Rule of the Quarantine Act, Form 32

    The Quarantine Act calls this paper the international certificate of vaccination. The form is set by the Enforcement Rule of the Quarantine Act and follows the World Health Organization (WHO) model.

    The yellow card at a glance
    Enforcement Rule of the Quarantine Act, Form 32 · KDCA vaccination guide
    Item What the rules say
    Korean name 국제공인예방접종증명서
    Language Filled in English or French
    Format Paper only. It is not issued electronically
    What it records Yellow fever and cholera vaccinations. This guide covers yellow fever
    Signature The clinician’s signature and the official stamp of the institution
    Vaccine Valid only for a vaccine approved by WHO
    Valid From 10 days after the shot, for life

    The 10-day wait is the part that catches travelers. KDCA tells you to get the shot at least 10 days before you visit a risk area. A shot taken the week before you fly may leave you short at the border.

    Who needs the yellow fever vaccine

    Country counts verified October 2026 · KDCA, citing the CDC Yellow Book of September 2026

    KDCA keeps two lists on its travel health site. One names 42 countries with yellow fever risk in Africa and Central and South America. The other names 21 countries that ask every arriving traveler for the certificate, wherever they come from. Other countries ask for it only if you have visited or passed through a risk country.

    These lists change with each country’s policy. This guide does not copy them. Open the KDCA yellow fever page for the current version, and check with the embassy of your destination before you travel.

    Who KDCA says can get the shot
    ✓ Age 9 months to 59. This is the standard range for the vaccine.
    ✓ Age 60 or older. Talk with the doctor first. The risk of side effects is higher.
    ✓ Cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. Ask for an exemption certificate instead. It is covered in the last section.

    KDCA also lists people who handle material that may carry the virus, such as lab workers. For most readers, the deciding question is the travel route.

    Where to get the shot in Korea

    List verified 10 October 2026 · KDCA, international vaccination institutions (국제공인예방접종지정기관)

    KDCA lists 49 designated hospitals across Korea, and all of them give the yellow fever shot. Seoul, Gyeonggi and Incheon have 21 of them. The Korean names and booking phone numbers below are from the KDCA list. The English names are added to help you find each hospital.

    Designated hospitals in Seoul, Gyeonggi and Incheon
    KDCA list as of 10 October 2026 · 21 of 49
    Hospital Korean name Area Booking phone
    National Medical Center 국립중앙의료원 Jung-gu, Seoul 1588-1775
    Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital 순천향대학교서울병원 Yongsan-gu, Seoul 02-709-9114
    Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital 이화여자대학교목동병원 Yangcheon-gu, Seoul 02-2650-5114
    Kangbuk Samsung Hospital 강북삼성병원 Jongno-gu, Seoul 02-2001-1130
    Seoul National University Hospital 서울대학교병원 Jongno-gu, Seoul 1588-5700
    Chung-Ang University Hospital 중앙대학교병원 Dongjak-gu, Seoul 1800-1114
    Korea University Guro Hospital 고려대학교구로병원 Guro-gu, Seoul 02-2626-1114
    Severance Hospital (Yonsei University) 연세대학교세브란스병원 Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 1599-1004
    Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital 가톨릭서울성모병원 Seocho-gu, Seoul 1588-1511
    Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong 강동경희대학교병원 Gangdong-gu, Seoul 02-440-7000
    Konkuk University Medical Center 건국대학교병원 Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 1588-1533
    Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital 한림대학교강남성심병원 Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul 1577-5587
    Hanyang University Seoul Hospital 한양대학교병원 Seongdong-gu, Seoul 02-2290-8114
    Seoul National University Bundang Hospital 분당서울대병원 Seongnam, Gyeonggi 1588-3369
    NHIS Ilsan Hospital 건강보험공단일산병원 Goyang, Gyeonggi 1577-0013
    Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital 인제대학교일산백병원 Goyang, Gyeonggi 031-910-7000
    Hanyang University Guri Hospital 한양대구리병원 Guri, Gyeonggi 1644-9118
    Uijeongbu St. Mary’s Hospital 가톨릭의정부성모병원 Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi 1661-7500
    Bucheon Sejong Hospital 부천세종병원 Bucheon, Gyeonggi 1599-6677
    Incheon Medical Center 인천광역시의료원 Jemulpo-gu, Incheon 032-580-6570
    Inha University Hospital 인하대병원 Jemulpo-gu, Incheon 032-890-2219

    Outside these three areas, the list has 28 more. Busan, Gwangju and South Jeolla, and South Gyeongsang have four each. Daejeon and Gangwon have three each. North Chungcheong and Jeju have two each. Sejong, South Chungcheong, North Jeolla, Ulsan, North Gyeongsang and Daegu have one each. The KDCA institution page shows them by region.

    Call before you go. Booking methods differ by hospital. Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, for example, takes yellow fever bookings by phone only.

    How much it costs and how to pay

    Fees verified October 2026 · KDCA vaccination guide · Enforcement Rule of the Quarantine Act, Annex 3

    The Enforcement Rule of the Quarantine Act sets the structure. You pay the actual cost of the vaccine, an administration fee, and 1,000 KRW for the certificate. KDCA publishes the amounts.

    What the yellow fever shot costs
    KDCA, international vaccination guide (designated hospitals)
    Item Fee
    Vaccine 38,250 KRW
    Certificate 1,000 KRW
    Administration fee, under age 1 22,380 KRW
    Administration fee, age 1 to 5 20,750 KRW
    Administration fee, age 6 or older 19,610 KRW

    For an adult, the three KDCA amounts add up to 58,860 KRW. KDCA asks you to buy a revenue stamp before the visit to pay for the vaccination. The type is an electronic revenue stamp for paper documents (종이문서용 전자수입인지). Banks, post offices and the e-revenue stamp website sell it.

    Ask the hospital what to buy
    Seoul National University Bundang Hospital asks for a 39,250 KRW revenue stamp. That is the vaccine plus the certificate. It also charges its own consultation fee. Hospitals word these items in different ways, so ask about the stamp and any fee when you book.

    Bring your passport as well. The certificate is filled in English, so the name on it should match your passport.

    What happens on the day

    Step 1 — Check your route and book

    Check whether your destination, or a country you pass through, asks for the certificate. Then call a designated hospital at least 10 days before departure.

    Step 2 — Buy the revenue stamp

    Buy the electronic revenue stamp for paper documents for the amount the hospital gives you.

    Step 3 — See the doctor and get the shot

    KDCA asks you to talk with the doctor before the shot. Afterwards, stay at the hospital for 20 to 30 minutes so staff can watch for a serious allergic reaction. Avoid heavy drinking and hard exercise that day.

    Step 4 — Collect the certificate on the spot

    The designated hospital issues the certificate at the same visit. Check the spelling of your name against your passport before you leave. Do not donate blood for 14 days.

    The yellow card is not the only vaccination paper in Korea.

    Related guide
    Vaccination Certificate in Korea: School Entry and English
    Need a record of routine vaccinations for school or a job? That is a different paper, issued free online or at a health center.

    That paper comes from the national vaccination record. It does not replace the yellow card at a border, and the yellow card does not replace it at a school.

    How to replace a lost or old card

    Reissue rules verified October 2026 · KDCA certificate guide · Gov24

    KDCA lists four reasons for a reissue: loss, damage, a change in personal details, and a change of the validity period. The last one matters if your old card shows an end date. A reissue costs 1,000 KRW per copy.

    Where to get a reissue
    KDCA, certificate guide · Gov24, 국제공인예방접종 증명서 재발급
    Where How you receive it Notes
    The designated hospital that gave your shot In person It can reissue only its own records
    National quarantine station In person Incheon Airport Quarantine Station (Terminal 1, 3rd floor) and Incheon Quarantine Station
    Gov24 online Pick up at a quarantine station or by mail Not open to foreign nationals or minors

    So a foreign resident who lost the card goes in person. Bring the old certificate if you still have it, your ID, and papers for any change in personal details. A proxy needs a letter of authorization. The airport desk is open on weekdays from 09:00 to 18:00, except public holidays.

    If you cannot get the shot
    ✓ Exemption certificate (예방백신접종 면제 확인서). For people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, and for babies under 9 months.
    ✓ Issued on a doctor’s note. The note comes from a designated hospital.
    ✓ Not accepted everywhere. Some countries may still screen you or refuse it, so ask the embassy first.

    The exemption certificate is a separate paper from the yellow card. It does not show a vaccination.

    What to say at the counter

    A hospital reception desk runs in Korean. Show the Korean line on your phone, or read the romanized line aloud.

    황열 예방접종 예약하고 싶어요.
    Hwang-nyeol ye-bang-jeop-jong ye-ya-ka-go si-peo-yo.
    “I would like to book a yellow fever shot.”
    Use this when you call the hospital.
    황열 예방접종 받으러 왔습니다.
    Hwang-nyeol ye-bang-jeop-jong ba-deu-reo wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I am here for a yellow fever shot.”
    Say this first at the reception desk.
    수입인지 가져왔습니다.
    Su-i-bin-ji ga-jyeo-wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I brought the revenue stamp.”
    Hand it over with this line.
    증명서 이름은 여권과 같게 써 주세요.
    Jeung-myeong-seo i-reu-meun yeo-gwon-gwa gat-ge sseo ju-se-yo.
    “Please write my name on the certificate as it is in my passport.”
    Show your passport when you say this.
    증명서를 잃어버려서 재발급받고 싶어요.
    Jeung-myeong-seo-reul i-reo-beo-ryeo-seo jae-bal-geup-bat-go si-peo-yo.
    “I lost my certificate and would like a reissue.”
    Use this at a quarantine station or the hospital that gave the shot.

    Frequently asked questions

    Is yellow fever vaccine for life now?
    Yes. KDCA states that one dose is valid for life. The certificate takes effect 10 days after the shot. If your old card shows an end date, KDCA lists a change of the validity period as a reason for a reissue.
    Where can I get my yellow fever vaccine from?
    In Korea, only at one of the 49 designated hospitals on the KDCA list. National quarantine stations, including the one at Incheon Airport, issue and reissue certificates but do not give the shot.
    How much will a yellow fever vaccine cost?
    KDCA lists 38,250 KRW for the vaccine, 1,000 KRW for the certificate, and 19,610 KRW to administer it from age 6. That is 58,860 KRW for an adult. A hospital may add its own consultation fee.
    What do I need to get the yellow fever vaccine?
    A booking at a designated hospital, the revenue stamp, and your passport. Go at least 10 days before you travel.
    Do I really need a yellow fever vaccine?
    It depends on your route. KDCA lists 21 countries that ask every arriving traveler for the certificate. Others ask only if you have been in a risk country. Check with the embassy of your destination.
    Daily life documents
    Health Documents in Korea: Which One for Work or School
    The whole cluster in one page — which paper fits which situation, and how the three differ.
    Health Certificate in Korea: Who Needs One and How to Get It
    Three tests, a one-year term, and a 30-day renewal window for anyone working with food.
    E-2 Medical Check in Korea: Who Needs It and What It Covers
    Who must submit it, who is exempt, and what each box on the official form checks.
    Vaccination Certificate in Korea: School Entry and English
    When schools check the record themselves, and how to get the paper in English.
    TB Test for a Korea Visa: Who Needs It and Where to Get It
    Who the 35-country rule covers, what the test involves, and what a health center charges.
    Yellow Fever Vaccine in Korea: Where to Get It and the Cost
    Where to get the shot, what it costs, and how to replace a lost certificate.

    Official sources

    Every figure here comes from the pages below. Rules change, so open the page before you act on it.

    · Enforcement Rule of the Quarantine Act (검역법 시행규칙) · Article 23 and Form 32, the certificate · Article 29 and Annex 3, fees
    · KDCA travel health (질병관리청 해외감염병NOW) · 황열 예방접종 안내 · 황열, 콜레라 증명서 발급 안내 · 국제공인예방접종기관 안내
    · KDCA (질병관리청) · 해외여행 전, lifetime validity
    · Incheon International Airport (인천국제공항) · vaccination and reissue desk
    · Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (분당서울대병원) · travel clinic, an example of one hospital
    Information verified as of October 2026. Designated hospitals, fees and country requirements change. Confirm the details with the hospital, the embassy of your destination, or the KDCA call center at 1339 before you go.
    This site is not affiliated with the Korean government. Always confirm details with the official source.
  • Before You Sign a Lease in Korea: What the Landlord Must Show

    Before You Sign a Lease in Korea: What the Landlord Must Show

    Before you sign a lease in Korea, the landlord must show you two records. One is the fixed-date history of the house. The other is proof that taxes are paid. Article 3-7 of the Housing Lease Protection Act has required this since April 2023. A third record, the building’s register certificate, you can pull yourself for 1,000 KRW online.

    This guide shows where each record comes from, what you need to request it, and which part of each record answers which question. It also covers what the broker must explain, and what the standard contract lets you do if something was hidden. It does not tell you whether a house is safe to rent.

    What this guide covers
    01 What the landlord must show you
    02 How to read the register certificate
    03 How to check the landlord’s unpaid taxes
    04 How to see earlier fixed dates on the house
    05 What the broker must explain
    06 What the contract lets you do if something was hidden
    07 What to say at the counter
    08 Frequently asked questions

    What the landlord must show you

    Rule verified September 2026 · Housing Lease Protection Act, Article 3-7

    Article 3-7 of the Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법) lists two things the landlord must present when the contract is made. For each one, the landlord has a second option: consent, given before signing, to let you look the record up yourself.

    What the landlord must present
    Housing Lease Protection Act, Article 3-7 · added 18 April 2023
    Record Korean Or instead
    Fixed-date dates, rent and deposit information for the house 확정일자 부여일, 차임 및 보증금 등 정보 Consent to your request at a fixed-date office (Article 3-6 (4))
    Tax payment certificates, national and local 납세증명서 (국세 · 지방세) Consent to your viewing of unpaid national and local taxes

    Either way, the law expects the information to reach you by the time you sign. The duty covers contracts made after the article took effect. Sections 3 and 4 below show how to use each consent route.

    How to read the register certificate

    Fees verified September 2026 · Real Estate Registration Act, Article 19 · fee rule, Articles 2 and 3

    The register certificate (등기사항증명서) is the public record of the property. Article 19 of the Real Estate Registration Act (부동산등기법) lets anyone view it or get a certified copy for a fee, at any registry office. You do not need the landlord’s consent. The Internet Registry Office (인터넷등기소) offers the same record online.

    Register certificate fees
    Supreme Court fee rule for registration certificates · in force since 1 August 2025
    How Fee
    Certified copy, online or at a kiosk 1,000 KRW
    Certified copy at a registry office 1,200 KRW, up to 20 pages
    View only, online 700 KRW
    View only, at a registry office 1,200 KRW

    Article 15 (2) of the Act splits every record into three parts. Each part answers a different question.

    The three parts of a register record
    Real Estate Registration Act, Article 15 (2)
    Part Korean What it records
    Title section 표제부 The property itself: address, structure and area
    Section A 갑구 Ownership
    Section B 을구 Rights other than ownership, such as mortgages (저당권 and 근저당권), jeonse rights (전세권) and registered leases (임차권)

    The standard contract’s first page asks for the address and area of the home. Those lines can be read against the title section. The person signing as landlord can be read against the owner in Section A. Section B is where earlier claims on the property appear.

    How to check the landlord’s unpaid taxes

    Rules verified September 2026 · National Tax Collection Act, Article 109 · Local Tax Collection Act, Article 6

    Two parallel laws let a tenant view a landlord’s unpaid taxes. One covers national taxes, the other local taxes. The rules match on almost every point.

    Viewing the landlord’s unpaid taxes
    National Tax Collection Act Article 109 · Local Tax Collection Act Article 6 · their Enforcement Decrees
    National taxes (국세) Local taxes (지방세)
    Where to apply Any tax office (세무서) The head of the local government
    When Before the contract, or after signing until the lease starts Same
    Consent Needed, with one exception below Same
    Without consent After signing, if the deposit is over 10 million KRW, until the lease starts. The office then tells the landlord Same, over 10 million KRW
    What to bring Application form, proof of the landlord’s consent (or the contract, if no consent is needed), your ID Same
    What you see Reported but unpaid tax, tax billed but not yet due, and arrears Arrears, tax billed but not yet due, and reported but unpaid tax

    One timing rule applies to national tax. Tax the landlord reported but did not pay shows up 30 days after the filing deadline. For global income tax, it is 60 days (Enforcement Decree, Article 97 (3)).

    The consent-free route opens only after you sign. The standard contract has a special term that fits this window. It lets you cancel before the lease starts without losing the earnest money (section 6).

    How to see earlier fixed dates on the house

    Every fixed date given on a house goes into a register kept by the fixed-date office. Article 3-6 (4) of the Act lets a person about to sign a lease request that information, with the landlord’s consent. Annex 1 of the standard contract names this check for multi-household houses (다가구주택), where several tenants share one building.

    What to hand in
    ✓ The request form (임대차 정보제공 요청서, Form 3 of the Ministry of Justice rule)
    ✓ The landlord’s consent form (임대인의 동의서)
    ✓ Proof of that consent, such as the landlord’s seal certificate (인감증명서), signature certificate (본인서명사실확인서) or a copy of the landlord’s ID

    Under Article 6 (2) of the Enforcement Decree, you receive four items. They are the property, the date of each fixed date, the rent and deposit, and the lease terms. Names of other tenants are not included. The fee is 600 KRW per request, with 50 KRW more per page over 10.

    Apply at a fixed-date office: a community center (동 주민센터), a registry office, or a court. The same offices that stamp fixed dates keep this record.

    What the broker must explain

    A licensed broker (개업공인중개사) must check and explain the property before the deal is closed. The broker must also show the documents behind the explanation, such as the register certificate. For a housing lease, the Enforcement Decree adds items that apply only to leases.

    The full list also covers the building’s condition, facilities and surroundings. The items below are the ones tied to the lease and the deposit.

    Lease items the broker must explain
    ✓ Rights on the property: ownership, jeonse, mortgage, surface and lease rights
    ✓ The price of the deal, the brokerage fee and how each is worked out
    ✓ The management fee and how it is worked out
    ✓ The landlord’s duty to present information (Article 3-7), and the protection for small deposits (Article 8)
    ✓ The move-in household confirmation (전입세대확인서) under the Resident Registration Act
    ✓ For private rental housing, the deposit guarantee under the Special Act on Private Rental Housing
    ✓ That you can request fixed-date information and view the landlord’s unpaid taxes (Article 25-3)

    The broker writes these items into the explanation form (중개대상물 확인·설명서), signs it and gives each side a copy when the contract is written. The broker keeps a copy for three years. Article 17 of the Act also requires the broker’s registration certificate to hang where you can see it in the office.

    What the contract lets you do if something was hidden

    The standard lease contract prints a special term for this situation. It covers senior lease information the landlord did not disclose, and unpaid taxes above an amount written in the blank. If you find either, you may cancel before the lease starts. You keep the earnest money, notwithstanding Article 5 of the contract.

    Article 5 is the normal rule: before the intermediate payment, the tenant can cancel only by giving up the earnest money. The special term is the exception, and it only works if the amount blank is filled in when you sign.

    What to say at the counter

    Tax offices, community centers and registry offices run in Korean. Show the Korean line on your phone, or read the romanized line aloud.

    미납국세 열람 신청하러 왔습니다.
    Mi-nap-guk-se yeol-lam sin-cheong-ha-reo wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I am here to apply to view unpaid national taxes.”
    Say this at a tax office. Any tax office takes it.
    미납지방세 열람 신청하러 왔습니다.
    Mi-nap-ji-bang-se yeol-lam sin-cheong-ha-reo wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I am here to apply to view unpaid local taxes.”
    Say this at the city, county or district office.
    임대차 정보제공 요청하러 왔습니다.
    Im-dae-cha jeong-bo-je-gong yo-cheong-ha-reo wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I am here to request lease information.”
    Say this at a community center for the fixed-date record.
    임대인 동의서 가져왔습니다.
    Im-dae-in dong-ui-seo ga-jyeo-wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I brought the landlord’s consent form.”
    Say this as you hand over the consent papers.
    등기사항증명서 발급해 주세요.
    Deung-gi-sa-hang-jeung-myeong-seo bal-geu-pae ju-se-yo.
    “Please issue a register certificate.”
    Say this at a registry office. Have the address ready.

    Frequently asked questions

    What should I check before signing a lease?
    Three records cover the main points. The register certificate shows the owner and any mortgages. The landlord’s unpaid taxes are one of the two lines the contract’s first page asks about. The fixed-date record shows earlier tenants’ deposits in the same house. The landlord must present the last two, or consent to your looking them up.
    Can I check the landlord’s taxes without consent?
    Only after you sign, and only if the deposit is over 10 million KRW. The window closes on the day the lease starts. The tax office or local government then notifies the landlord that you looked.
    What if the landlord will not consent?
    Consent is only one of the landlord’s two options. Article 3-7 still requires the landlord to present the tax payment certificates and the fixed-date information when the contract is made.
    Does the broker have to tell me about these checks?
    Yes. Article 25-3 of the Licensed Real Estate Agents Act covers this. On a housing lease, the broker must explain both routes: requesting fixed-date information and viewing the landlord’s unpaid taxes.
    What is the Korean rent deposit system?
    The standard contract sets the deposit apart from monthly rent. The tenant pays the deposit in stages, earnest money, intermediate and final payment. At the end, the landlord returns the deposit at the same time the tenant hands back the home (Article 9).
    Renting a home in Korea
    Korean Standard Lease Contract in English: What Each Part Says
    The official translation in three languages, and what each page, article and annex asks you to fill in.
    Before You Sign a Lease in Korea: What the Landlord Must Show
    The records the landlord must present, the landlord’s unpaid taxes, and how to read the register certificate.
    Fixed Date in Korea for Foreign Tenants: Protect Your Deposit
    Why your change-of-residence report is the move-in report, and where to get a fixed date for 600 KRW or less.
    Lease Renewal in Korea: The 2-Year Request and the 5% Cap
    When a lease renews on its own, the one renewal request you get, and how far rent can rise.

    Official sources

    Every rule here comes from the pages below. Laws and fees change, so open the page before you act on it.

    · Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법) · Article 3-6 · Article 3-7
    · Enforcement Decree of the Housing Lease Protection Act · Article 6, what information is given
    · Ministry of Justice rule on fixed dates (주택임대차계약증서상의 확정일자 부여 및 임대차 정보제공에 관한 규칙) · full text, Articles 7 and 8
    · Real Estate Registration Act (부동산등기법) · Article 15 · Article 19
    · Supreme Court fee rule (등기사항증명서 등 수수료규칙) · full text, Articles 2 and 3
    · National Tax Collection Act (국세징수법) · Article 109 · Enforcement Decree Article 97
    · Local Tax Collection Act (지방세징수법) · Article 6 · Enforcement Decree Article 8
    · Licensed Real Estate Agents Act (공인중개사법) · Article 25 · Article 25-3 · Enforcement Decree Article 21
    Information verified as of September 2026. Laws and fees are amended from time to time. Confirm the details with the office before you go. For questions about your stay, call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345.
    This site is not affiliated with the Korean government. Always confirm details with the official source.
  • TB Test for a Korea Visa: Who Needs It and Where to Get It

    TB Test for a Korea Visa: Who Needs It and Where to Get It

    Many English guides say anyone applying for a long-stay visa to Korea needs a tuberculosis (TB) test. Korean rules are narrower. The requirement applies to nationals of 35 countries that Korea classes as high-risk for tuberculosis, and the paper you submit depends on where you apply.

    Inside Korea, the case that matters most is a change of status. Say you are a national of one of the 35 countries and entered on a short-term status. To stay beyond 90 days, you attach a TB certificate from a public health center or a designated hospital. This guide covers who is included, what the test involves, what it costs, and what the rules say happens if tuberculosis is found.

    What this guide covers
    01 Who has to submit a TB certificate
    02 When it is required inside Korea
    03 What the test involves
    04 Where to get it and what it costs
    05 What happens if tuberculosis is found
    06 What changes if you apply from abroad
    07 What to say at the counter
    08 Frequently asked questions

    Who has to submit a TB certificate

    Rules verified October 2026 · Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, Annexes 5 and 5-2 · Ministry of Justice announcement of 31 March 2020

    The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Health and Welfare set the list of high-risk countries (결핵고위험국가). It started with 18 countries in 2016, added Laos in 2017, and added 16 more on 1 April 2020. A Korean embassy notice revised in October 2025 lists the same 35.

    The 35 high-risk countries
    Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Health and Welfare, in force from 1 April 2020
    Region Countries
    Asia and Oceania (17) Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam
    Central Asia and Europe (9) Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
    Africa (8) Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe
    Americas (1) Peru

    The rule is built around this list. Check it before you book a test.

    Who is exempt
    ✓ Diplomatic and official visa holders.
    ✓ Children under 6. A Seoul district health center states the same line as aged 5 or under.
    ✓ Pregnant women. Exempt at the time of application.

    For pregnant women, the notice treats the paper as a later submission. It can go in with the next stay permit application after the birth, such as an extension or a change of status.

    When it is required inside Korea

    Annex 5-2 of the Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act lists the paper under a change of status. It covers a national of a high-risk country who entered on a short-term status. That person applies to change status in order to stay beyond 90 days. The annex adds “and other cases the Minister of Justice sets.”

    Which TB paper, where
    Immigration Act Enforcement Rule, Annexes 5 and 5-2 · Korean embassy notice
    Situation Paper named in the rule Issued by
    Changing from a short-term status to stay beyond 90 days, inside Korea TB confirmation (결핵확인서) A public health center or a hospital designated by the Minister of Justice
    Applying for a long-stay visa at a Korean embassy or consulate TB health certificate (결핵 건강진단서) A hospital designated by that embassy or consulate
    A registered foreign resident applying for a new visa after six straight months or more in a high-risk country within the past year TB health certificate (결핵 건강진단서) A hospital designated by that embassy or consulate

    The same kind of paper goes by several names. The rules use 결핵확인서 inside Korea and 결핵 건강진단서 abroad. Hi Korea titles its form 결핵진단서, and a Seoul district health center calls its paper 외국인 결핵검진 확인서. Inside Korea, health centers and designated hospitals use the Hi Korea form.

    What the test involves

    Hi Korea publishes the form for health centers and designated hospitals. It records your passport number, nationality and address in Korea, then the test in up to two stages.

    The boxes on the TB form
    Hi Korea, attachment 5 to the designated hospital guide
    Stage Korean box What it records
    Chest X-ray 흉부 X선 검사 Normal (정상), or findings that suggest tuberculosis (결핵 유소견). Findings unrelated to tuberculosis are marked normal
    Lab tests, only after TB findings 객담 도말 검사 · 결핵균 및 리팜핀 내성 검사 (Xpert MTB/RIF) · 객담 배양 검사 Sputum smear, TB bacteria and rifampicin resistance, and sputum culture, done at the same time
    Decision 판정 TB patient (drug-susceptible or multidrug-resistant), not a TB patient, or decision on hold

    A decision on hold lasts until the sputum culture result is in. The form puts that at one to two months, so a clear X-ray is the fast path. Since April 2020, drug-resistance testing has been mandatory for foreign residents with TB findings.

    Where to get it and what it costs

    Fee example verified October 2026 · Dongdaemun-gu Public Health Center service page

    Hi Korea names two places: a hospital designated by the Minister of Justice, or a public health center. Hi Korea’s list of designated hospitals, dated 30 September 2026, names 1,125 institutions. Items differ by hospital, so call before you visit.

    Fees and processes can differ from one health center to the next. The table below is one example: the Dongdaemun-gu Public Health Center in Seoul.

    One health center’s figures
    Dongdaemun-gu Public Health Center, Seoul (page updated August 2024)
    Item Dongdaemun-gu example
    Fee 1,500 KRW
    Time to result 4 days. Group screenings can make the wait longer
    What to bring Passport and Alien Registration Card
    Test Chest X-ray, with a sputum test if the X-ray shows findings

    Treat these as one center’s numbers, not a national price. Check the page of the health center that serves your address before you go.

    What happens if tuberculosis is found

    The 2020 announcement by the two ministries sets out the policy. Individual cases are decided by the immigration office.

    What the announcement states
    ✓ Treatment. A foreign resident diagnosed with tuberculosis is treated in the same way as a Korean patient.
    ✓ Multidrug-resistant TB during a change of status. If it is found while a high-risk national moves from a short-term to a long-term status, long-term stay is restricted. The announcement describes hospital treatment until the person is no longer infectious, then departure from Korea.
    ✓ TB found before a visa is issued. The visa is not issued until treatment is complete.

    To lift a visa restriction after treatment, a Korean embassy notice asks for four documents. They are a TB certificate, a treatment result confirmation, a treatment progress record, and results from two or more sputum tests. For your own case, ask the immigration office or call 1345.

    What changes if you apply from abroad

    A long-stay visa application from outside Korea follows the embassy’s own notice. Each mission names its own designated hospitals. The notice checked here gives a validity of three months from the date of issue, and requires a chest X-ray first. If the X-ray is not normal, three sputum samples taken 24 hours apart are tested by smear and culture.

    Health checks at foreign resident registration are a separate matter.

    Related guide
    E-2 Medical Check in Korea: Who Needs It and What It Covers
    Registering on E-2, D-3, E-8, E-9, E-10 or H-2? Each visa has its own health paper at registration.

    Those registration papers are different documents from the TB certificate, even where they include a chest X-ray. Check both rules if your visa and nationality fall under each of them.

    What to say at the counter

    A health center desk runs in Korean. Show the Korean line on your phone, or read the romanized line aloud.

    결핵검진 받으러 왔습니다.
    Gyeol-haek-geom-jin ba-deu-reo wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I am here for a tuberculosis check.”
    Say this first at the desk.
    체류자격 변경에 낼 결핵진단서가 필요해요.
    Che-ryu-ja-gyeok byeon-gyeong-e nael gyeol-haek-jin-dan-seo-ga pi-ryo-hae-yo.
    “I need a TB certificate for a change of status.”
    Say this next, so the desk uses the right form.
    여권과 외국인등록증 가져왔습니다.
    Yeo-gwon-gwa oe-gu-gin-deung-nok-jeung ga-jyeo-wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I brought my passport and Alien Registration Card.”
    Hand them over with this line.
    결과는 언제 나오나요?
    Gyeol-gwa-neun eon-je na-o-na-yo?
    “When will the result be ready?”
    Ask before you leave.
    수수료는 얼마인가요?
    Su-su-ryo-neun eol-ma-in-ga-yo?
    “How much is the fee?”
    Fees differ by health center, so ask.

    Frequently asked questions

    How much is a TB test in Korea?
    Fees can differ by public health center. The Dongdaemun-gu Public Health Center in Seoul lists 1,500 KRW, but other centers can differ. At a designated hospital, ask the hospital.
    How can I get tested for tuberculosis in Korea?
    Go to a public health center or a hospital designated by the Minister of Justice. The check starts with a chest X-ray. Sputum tests follow only if the X-ray shows findings.
    What happens if a TB test is positive for immigration?
    Treatment is the same as for a Korean patient. If multidrug-resistant TB is found during a change from a short-term to a long-term status, long-term stay is restricted. Ask the immigration office or call 1345 about your own case.
    Is this the same as the TB test in the food health certificate?
    No. The food health certificate (보건증) includes pulmonary tuberculosis as one of three items under food safety rules. It is a separate paper. The health certificate guide covers it.
    Do children need a TB certificate?
    Not under 6. The official notices exempt children under 6, along with diplomatic and official visa holders and pregnant women.
    Daily life documents
    Health Documents in Korea: Which One for Work or School
    The whole cluster in one page — which paper fits which situation, and how the three differ.
    Health Certificate in Korea: Who Needs One and How to Get It
    Three tests, a one-year term, and a 30-day renewal window for anyone working with food.
    E-2 Medical Check in Korea: Who Needs It and What It Covers
    Who must submit it, who is exempt, and what each box on the official form checks.
    Vaccination Certificate in Korea: School Entry and English
    When schools check the record themselves, and how to get the paper in English.
    TB Test for a Korea Visa: Who Needs It and Where to Get It
    Who the 35-country rule covers, what the test involves, and what a health center charges.
    Yellow Fever Vaccine in Korea: Where to Get It and the Cost
    Where to get the shot, what it costs, and how to replace a lost certificate.

    Official sources

    Every figure here comes from the pages below. Rules change, so open the page before you act on it.

    · Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act (출입국관리법 시행규칙) · Article 76, Annexes 5 and 5-2
    · Immigration Act (출입국관리법) · Article 10-2, short-term and long-term status
    · Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Belarus (주벨라루스 대사관) · TB certificate for long-stay visas, revised October 2025
    · Dongdaemun-gu Public Health Center (동대문구보건소) · 외국인 결핵검진 확인서
    Information verified as of October 2026. The country list, fees and procedures can change. Confirm the details with your health center and the immigration office before you apply, or call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345.
    This site is not affiliated with the Korean government. Always confirm details with the official source.
  • Fixed Date in Korea for Foreign Tenants: Protect Your Deposit

    Fixed Date in Korea for Foreign Tenants: Protect Your Deposit

    The standard lease contract asks the tenant to complete a move-in report (전입신고) by an agreed date after moving in. For a registered foreign resident, that step has a different name. The report of a change of residence (체류지 변경신고) is the move-in report the Housing Lease Protection Act asks for.

    It is one of three records that protect a deposit: living in the home, that report, and a fixed date (확정일자) on your contract. This guide covers what each record does and where to get the fixed date. It also covers the lease report that can stand in for the fixed date.

    What this guide covers
    01 When your protection starts
    02 Why the change-of-residence report counts as a move-in report
    03 Where to get a fixed date and what it costs
    04 When you must file a lease report
    05 How to secure your deposit, step by step
    06 What keeps your protection in place
    07 What to say at the counter
    08 Frequently asked questions

    When your protection starts

    Rules verified September 2026 · Housing Lease Protection Act, Article 3 · Article 3-2

    Article 3 (1) of the Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법) sets two conditions: the home is handed over to you, and your registration is complete. From the next day, your lease holds against third parties, even without a registered lease. Under Article 3 (4), a new owner of the home takes over the landlord’s position.

    Article 3-2 (2) adds a third record. With both conditions met and a fixed date on the contract, you are repaid ahead of later-ranking creditors. That applies when the home is sold at auction or in a public sale for unpaid taxes.

    Three records and what each one does
    Housing Lease Protection Act · Immigration Act
    Record Korean What it gives you Rule
    Living in the home 주택의 인도 First half of the condition. You must actually take over the home Act, Article 3 (1)
    Change-of-residence report 체류지 변경신고 Second half. With handover, the lease holds against third parties from the next day Act, Article 3 (1) · Immigration Act, Article 88-2 (2)
    Fixed date on the contract 확정일자 With the two above, repayment ahead of later creditors in an auction or public sale Act, Article 3-2 (2)

    None of the three replaces another. The first two make the lease count against people outside the contract. The fixed date decides your place in line when money from a sale is paid out. Missing any one leaves a gap.

    Why the change-of-residence report counts as a move-in report

    Rule verified September 2026 · Immigration Act, Article 88-2 · Article 36

    Article 3 of the Act is written in the terms of resident registration (주민등록) and the move-in report. Article 88-2 (2) of the Immigration Act (출입국관리법) connects them to foreign residents. It says registration as a foreign national (외국인등록) and the change-of-residence report take the place of resident registration and the move-in report.

    The Immigration Act even uses the same word. Article 36 (1) tells a registered foreign resident who moves to file a 전입신고 within 15 days of moving in. It goes to the new city, county or district office, the community center (읍·면·동), or the immigration office for the new address. You bring your ARC, and the office writes the new address on it.

    If you register as a foreign national for the first time at the new home, that registration itself fills the same role. Article 88-2 (1) also covers paperwork. Where a procedure asks for a resident registration certificate (주민등록등본), your ARC or a certificate of foreign registration (외국인등록 사실증명) takes its place.

    Overseas Koreans who hold a domestic residence report (국내거소신고) follow a separate rule. Article 10 (4) of the Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans treats that report as foreign registration. A report of moving counts as a change-of-residence report.

    Where to get a fixed date and what it costs

    Fees verified September 2026 · Ministry of Justice rule on fixed dates, Article 8 · Supreme Court rule, Article 13

    Article 3-6 (1) of the Act lists who can put a fixed date on a lease. Two separate rules set the fees. A Ministry of Justice rule covers community centers. A Supreme Court rule covers courts, registry offices and the online route.

    Where to get a fixed date
    Housing Lease Protection Act Article 3-6 · fee rules of the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court
    Where How Fee
    Community center (동 주민센터) or 읍·면 office, or a city, county or district branch office In person, with the original contract and ID 600 KRW per contract. 100 KRW more for every 4 pages over 4
    District court, its branch, or a registry office (등기소) In person 600 KRW per contract, same page rule
    Internet Registry Office (인터넷등기소) Online, by the landlord or the tenant, with a digital certificate the court administration designates 500 KRW
    Notary (공증인) In person Set by the notary fee rule

    For an in-person visit, Article 2 (2) of the Ministry of Justice rule gives examples of accepted ID. The list names a resident registration card, a driver’s license, a passport and an alien registration card. The online route has its own clock under the Supreme Court rule (Article 8). A weekday application in working hours is stamped the same day. After 4 p.m. it may move to the next working day, and after 6 p.m. or on a weekend or holiday it does.

    What the office checks before stamping
    ✓ A complete contract: both parties, the home, the term, the rent and deposit
    ✓ Signatures or seals of both parties, or their agents
    ✓ Blank gaps inside the text crossed out with a line
    ✓ Corrections marked with the number of changed characters, and signed
    ✓ A seal across the page joins (간인) if the contract has two or more pages
    ✓ No fixed date on it already, unless new terms were added for a new contract

    The list comes from Article 3 of the Ministry of Justice rule. A contract that fails one line goes back to you, so check the pages before you leave home. The standard contract’s signature page already asks both sides to seal across each page join.

    When you must file a lease report

    Rules verified September 2026 · Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions, Article 6-2 · Enforcement Decree, Article 4-3

    A second law, the Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions (부동산 거래신고 등에 관한 법률), adds a report for larger leases. It is separate from the Immigration Act report, but it can save you the fixed-date trip.

    The lease report in six points
    ✓ Which leases: a deposit over 60 million KRW, or a monthly rent over 300,000 KRW. A renewal that only extends the term, with no change in money, is left out
    ✓ Where: special self-governing cities and provinces, cities, districts, and counties in metropolitan cities and Gyeonggi-do
    ✓ When: within 30 days of the contract date, not the move-in date
    ✓ Who: landlord and tenant jointly. Either one can file alone by handing in a contract that both signed and that lists every required item
    ✓ To whom: the city, county or district office. A local ordinance can pass the work to community centers
    ✓ If you skip it: a fine of up to 1 million KRW (Article 28 (5))

    The link to the fixed date is Article 6-5 (3). Once a report filed with the contract is accepted, the contract counts as having a fixed date. So one trip can cover both. The report is written with foreign tenants in view. Article 6-2 of the Enforcement Rule asks for a foreign registration number in place of a resident number.

    Article 6-5 (1) also treats a move-in report under the Resident Registration Act (주민등록법) as a lease report. The lease report above is the direct route, and it is the one this guide uses.

    How to secure your deposit, step by step

    The law does not force an order among these steps, except that the fixed date needs a signed contract first. The sequence below keeps the one-day gaps short.

    Step 1 — Keep the signed original and your ARC together

    Both offices ask for them. The fixed-date desk needs the original contract, not a copy. The immigration report needs your ARC.

    Step 2 — Take over the home on the handover date

    Handover is the first half of the Article 3 condition. Article 2 of the standard contract sets the date, and the lease term runs from it.

    Step 3 — File the change-of-residence report within 15 days

    Go to the community center, the city, county or district office, or the immigration office for the new address. The next day is the earliest your lease can hold against third parties, so a later report means a later start.

    Related guide
    ARC Address or Passport Change in Korea: The 15-Day Rule
    Your protection as a tenant starts only after this report. This guide covers the proof of residence to bring, filing online on Hi Korea, and the fine for a late report.

    Step 4 — Get the fixed date, or file the lease report with the contract

    If your lease meets the reporting amounts, file the report with the contract attached and let it count as the fixed date. If not, ask for the fixed date. A community center can do the fixed date, and may take the report too, depending on local rules.

    Step 5 — Keep what you receive

    Keep the contract with the fixed-date stamp, or the lease report certificate (임대차 신고필증), with the contract. Your ARC now shows the new address.

    What keeps your protection in place

    Protection is not a one-time stamp. Annex 1 of the standard contract says to keep both possession and registration for the whole lease term. Two events change what you need.

    When something changes
    Annex 1 of the standard contract · Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions
    Event What to do Rule
    The deposit goes up during the term or at renewal Get a new fixed date for the added amount Standard contract, Annex 1
    A reported lease changes its deposit or rent Report the change within 30 days Reporting Act, Article 6-3
    The lease is cancelled after a report Report the cancellation within 30 days Reporting Act, Article 6-3
    The lease ends and the deposit is not returned A lease registration order (임차권등기명령) keeps your rights after you move Act, Article 3-3

    The last row matters if you must move before you are repaid. Once the lease registration is in place, Article 3-3 (5) lets you keep the rights you already had. That holds even after you stop living there or move your registration.

    What to say at the counter

    Community center counters run in Korean. Show the Korean line on your phone, or read the romanized line aloud.

    체류지 변경신고 하러 왔습니다.
    Che-ryu-ji byeon-gyeong-sin-go ha-reo wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I am here to report a change of residence.”
    Say this first. Hand over your ARC with it.
    확정일자 받으러 왔습니다.
    Hwak-jeong-il-ja ba-deu-reo wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I am here to get a fixed date.”
    Use this at the same desk after the report, or on its own.
    계약서 원본하고 외국인등록증 가져왔습니다.
    Gye-yak-seo won-bon-ha-go oe-gu-gin-deung-nok-jeung ga-jyeo-wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I brought the original contract and my alien registration card.”
    Say this as you hand the two over.
    주택 임대차 계약 신고도 여기서 할 수 있나요?
    Ju-taek im-dae-cha gye-yak sin-go-do yeo-gi-seo hal su in-na-yo?
    “Can I also file the housing lease report here?”
    Ask this if your lease meets the reporting amounts.
    임대차 신고필증 받을 수 있을까요?
    Im-dae-cha sin-go-pil-jeung ba-deul su i-sseul-kka-yo?
    “Could I get the lease report certificate?”
    Ask this at the end, after the report is accepted.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can a foreigner rent an apartment in South Korea?
    The lease rules are written with foreign tenants in view. The fixed-date rule lists the alien registration card as accepted ID. The lease report asks for a foreign registration number. And Article 88-2 of the Immigration Act lets your registration and change-of-residence report stand in for the Korean resident’s steps.
    How do I report a change in address in Korea?
    File a change-of-residence report within 15 days of moving in, under Article 36 of the Immigration Act. Go to the city, county or district office, the community center, or the immigration office for the new address, with your ARC. Hi Korea’s e-application also takes it.
    When does my protection start?
    The day after both conditions are met: you have taken over the home, and your change-of-residence report is filed. That is Article 3 (1) of the Housing Lease Protection Act, read with Article 88-2 (2) of the Immigration Act.
    Do I still need a fixed date if I file the lease report?
    Not if you file the report with the contract attached. Article 6-5 (3) of the Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions treats the accepted report as a fixed date. A report filed without the contract does not.
    What if my landlord raises the deposit?
    Get a new fixed date for the added amount, as Annex 1 of the standard contract says. If the lease was reported, report the change within 30 days. During the term, an increase is capped at 5% and cannot come within a year of the last one.
    Renting a home in Korea
    Korean Standard Lease Contract in English: What Each Part Says
    The official translation in three languages, and what each page, article and annex asks you to fill in.
    Before You Sign a Lease in Korea: What the Landlord Must Show
    The records the landlord must present, the landlord’s unpaid taxes, and how to read the register certificate.
    Fixed Date in Korea for Foreign Tenants: Protect Your Deposit
    Why your change-of-residence report is the move-in report, and where to get a fixed date for 600 KRW or less.
    Lease Renewal in Korea: The 2-Year Request and the 5% Cap
    When a lease renews on its own, the one renewal request you get, and how far rent can rise.

    Official sources

    Every rule here comes from the pages below. Laws and fees change, so open the page before you act on it.

    · Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법) · Article 3 · Article 3-2 · Article 3-3 · Article 3-6
    · Immigration Act (출입국관리법) · Article 36, change of residence · Article 88-2
    · Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans (재외동포의 출입국과 법적 지위에 관한 법률) · Article 10
    · Ministry of Justice rule on fixed dates (주택임대차계약증서상의 확정일자 부여 및 임대차 정보제공에 관한 규칙) · full text, Articles 2, 3 and 8
    · Supreme Court rule on fixed dates (주택임대차계약증서의 확정일자 부여 및 정보제공에 관한 규칙) · full text, Articles 6, 8 and 13
    · Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions (부동산 거래신고 등에 관한 법률) · Article 6-2 · Article 6-3 · Article 6-5 · Article 28
    · Enforcement Decree and Rule of that Act · Decree Article 4-3, amounts and areas · Rule Article 6-2, report items and filing
    Information verified as of September 2026. Laws and fees are amended from time to time. Confirm the details with the office that handles your report before you go. For questions about your stay and the change-of-residence report, call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345.
    This site is not affiliated with the Korean government. Always confirm details with the official source.
  • Health Documents in Korea: Which One for Work or School

    Health Documents in Korea: Which One for Work or School

    Three health papers come up when foreign residents start work or school in Korea. A food job needs a health certificate (보건증). A hagwon teaching job and E-2 registration need a pre-employment medical check (채용신체검사서). A child’s school entry runs on the national vaccination record, which you can print as a vaccination certificate (예방접종증명서).

    Each paper comes from a different law and a different office, and none of them replaces another. This page sorts them by situation, compares them side by side, and points to the full guide for each one.

    What this guide covers
    01 Start here: which paper for which situation
    02 How the three papers differ
    03 Why the online routes fail for foreign residents
    04 Which papers are easy to confuse with these
    05 Frequently asked questions

    Start here: which paper for which situation

    Rules verified October 2026 · Food Sanitation Act · Hagwon Act · Immigration Act Enforcement Rule, Annex 5-2 · School Health Act

    Find the row that matches what you are about to do. The rules look at the work or the visa, not at your nationality.

    Which paper for which situation
    Sorted by what you are about to do
    Your situation Paper Full guide
    Working directly with food that is not fully packaged: cooking, serving, selling Health certificate (보건증), officially the health examination result (건강진단 결과서) Health certificate guide
    Teaching a foreign language at a hagwon (학원) Pre-employment medical check (채용신체검사서) with a drug test, issued within one month E-2 medical check guide
    Registering as a foreign resident on E-2, D-3, or E-6 (some performers) Pre-employment medical check (채용신체검사서) E-2 medical check guide
    Registering on E-8, E-9, E-10 or H-2 A drug test confirmation or a health certificate (건강진단서) set for your visa Visa table in the E-2 guide
    A child entering elementary school, middle school or daycare Usually nothing to hand in. The school or daycare checks the national record Vaccination certificate guide
    Proof of vaccinations for use outside Korea Vaccination certificate (예방접종증명서) in English Vaccination certificate guide
    Travel that needs a yellow fever vaccination International certificate of vaccination (국제공인예방접종증명서) Yellow fever vaccine guide

    If two rows fit you, each rule applies on its own. An E-2 teacher hired by a hagwon, for example, falls under the second and third rows, and the two rules ask for the paper separately.

    How the three papers differ

    Fees verified October 2026 · Ministry of Health and Welfare Notice No. 2021-34 · Gov24

    The three papers prove different things, come from different places and age differently.

    The three papers side by side
    From the rules and official service pages behind each guide
    Health certificate (보건증) Pre-employment medical check (채용신체검사서) Vaccination certificate (예방접종증명서)
    What it shows Three tests: typhoid, paratyphoid, pulmonary tuberculosis A general physical. For E-2, also a syphilis test, a chest X-ray and a drug test The doses entered in the national vaccination system
    Who issues it Public health centers, general hospitals, hospitals and clinics For registration, a hospital designated by the Minister of Justice Vaccination Helper, Gov24, public health centers, contracted clinics
    Time limit in the rules Valid one year. Renew within 30 days before or after expiry For a hagwon, issued within one month of the hiring date None set in the Act
    Fee Set by local ordinance at public health centers Capped at 30,000 KRW. The drug test is outside the cap No fee (Gov24)

    The time-limit row is where the papers differ most. A health certificate runs on a yearly cycle, and a hagwon wants a pre-employment check from the last month. The vaccination certificate has no expiry in the Act, because it records doses that were already given.

    Why the online routes fail for foreign residents

    Two of the three papers can be printed online. Both online routes stop at the same point: a login that depends on a Korean digital identity.

    ✓ Health certificate. The public health portal e-보건소 accepts a simple certificate (간편인증) or a joint certificate (공동인증서). Simple verification needs mobile phone identity confirmation in your own name. Details in the health certificate guide.
    ✓ Vaccination certificate. Vaccination Helper (예방접종도우미) needs a digital certificate (인증서). Its FAQ states that accounts made with an English name fail more often. Details in the vaccination guide.

    The in-person routes need only an ID. If you have no Korean digital certificate, plan for a visit to the public health center from the start. The pre-employment medical check is issued by the hospital that examines you, so this problem does not arise there.

    Which papers are easy to confuse with these

    Several other papers share a word with these three in English. In Korean the names are all different.

    Papers that look similar
    Korean names as written in the rules
    Paper What it is Not the same as
    Medical certificate (진단서) A doctor’s diagnosis. The ministry caps a general certificate at 20,000 KRW, and an English one also at 20,000 KRW. Hospital papers guide A health certificate or a pre-employment check
    Health certificate (건강진단서) for E-10 or H-2 A visa form issued by a hospital designated by the Minister of Justice The food health certificate (보건증), despite the same English name
    Tuberculosis certificate (결핵진단서) Hi Korea asks for it from nationals of 35 high-risk countries who change from a short-term to a long-term status. TB test guide The tuberculosis item inside the food health certificate
    International certificate of vaccination (국제공인예방접종증명서) Issued under the Quarantine Act for quarantine diseases such as yellow fever. Yellow fever vaccine guide The vaccination certificate

    When an office names a paper only in English, ask for the Korean name. The Korean names on this page are the ones the rules use, so they are the names the desk will recognize.

    Frequently asked questions

    How do I get a health certificate in Korea?
    Take the examination at a public health center or a hospital before you start food work. Collect the result in person, send someone with a proxy form, or print it online if your case meets the portal’s conditions. The health certificate guide has every step.
    How to get a medical certificate in Korea?
    It depends on which paper you mean. A doctor’s medical certificate (진단서) comes from the clinic that examined you, with the fee capped at 20,000 KRW for a general one. A medical check for a hagwon job or E-2 registration is the pre-employment medical check covered in the E-2 medical check guide.
    Do I need all three papers?
    No. Each one belongs to a situation. Most people need one of them, and some need two. Use the table at the top of this page.
    Which of these papers can I get at a public health center?
    The health certificate and the vaccination certificate, yes. For the pre-employment check, the Ministry of Justice notice allows public health centers to be designated. Check whether yours is on the Hi Korea list.
    Daily life documents
    Health Documents in Korea: Which One for Work or School
    The whole cluster in one page — which paper fits which situation, and how the three differ.
    Health Certificate in Korea: Who Needs One and How to Get It
    Three tests, a one-year term, and a 30-day renewal window for anyone working with food.
    E-2 Medical Check in Korea: Who Needs It and What It Covers
    Who must submit it, who is exempt, and what each box on the official form checks.
    Vaccination Certificate in Korea: School Entry and English
    When schools check the record themselves, and how to get the paper in English.
    TB Test for a Korea Visa: Who Needs It and Where to Get It
    Who the 35-country rule covers, what the test involves, and what a health center charges.
    Yellow Fever Vaccine in Korea: Where to Get It and the Cost
    Where to get the shot, what it costs, and how to replace a lost certificate.

    Official sources

    Every figure here comes from the pages below and from the sources listed in each full guide. Rules change, so open the page before you act on it.

    · Food Sanitation Act (식품위생법) · Article 40 · Enforcement Rule Article 49 · Health Examination Rule for Food Service Workers
    · Hagwon Act (학원의 설립ㆍ운영 및 과외교습에 관한 법률) · Article 13-2, hiring foreign instructors
    · Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act (출입국관리법 시행규칙) · Article 76 and Annex 5-2
    · School Health Act (학교보건법) · Article 10 · Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act · Article 27
    · Ministry of Health and Welfare (보건복지부) · 의료기관의 제증명수수료 항목 및 금액에 관한 기준, fee caps
    · Hi Korea (하이코리아) · 법무부지정 건강검진 가능 의료기관
    · Public health portal e-보건소 · online issue of 건강진단결과서 · Vaccination Helper (예방접종도우미) · certificate service · Gov24 (정부24) · 예방접종증명
    Information verified as of October 2026. Rules, fees and designated hospitals change. Confirm the details with the issuing office before you go. For visa questions, call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345.
    This site is not affiliated with the Korean government. Always confirm details with the official source.
  • Korean Standard Lease Contract in English: What Each Part Says

    Korean Standard Lease Contract in English: What Each Part Says

    Since 10 March 2026, the Ministry of Justice has published the standard housing lease contract (주택임대차 표준계약서) in English, Chinese and Vietnamese. Each file keeps the Korean text and pairs it with the translation, line by line. You and your landlord can point at the same clause on the same page.

    The translation follows the October 2023 version of the form, the latest one on the Ministry’s list. This guide goes through each part in order: the first page, the 13 articles, the special terms and the two annexes. For each part, it gives the Korean label and what the blank asks for. It does not tell you whether to sign.

    What this guide covers
    01 Where to get the translated contract
    02 Which form your landlord has to use
    03 What the first page asks
    04 What the 13 articles set
    05 What the special terms add
    06 What the two annexes are for
    07 How “resident registration” applies to a foreign resident
    08 Frequently asked questions

    Where to get the translated contract

    Files verified September 2026 · Ministry of Justice notice of 10 March 2026

    The files sit on one notice in the Ministry of Justice’s housing lease library: 주택임대차 표준계약서 번역본(영어, 중국어, 베트남어) 다운받기. There is one pair of files per language, and each file has a view button (바로보기) that opens it in your browser.

    The translated standard lease contract
    Ministry of Justice · posted 10 March 2026
    Language Title on the file Files
    English Standard Residential Lease Contract HWP · PDF
    Chinese 住房租赁标准合同 HWP · PDF
    Vietnamese Hợp đồng Thuê Nhà ở Tiêu chuẩn HWP · PDF

    All three files keep the Korean text beside the translation. So if your landlord or broker reads Korean, both of you can point at the same line. The PDF opens on any phone. HWP is the file format of the Korean word processor Hangul, and it is the version you can type into.

    The Ministry lists these files under the Korea Open Government License Type 4 (공공누리 제4유형). That license allows use with the source named, but not commercial use or changes. For that reason, this guide links to the notice rather than copying the text. Open the file next to this page and follow along.

    Which form your landlord has to use

    Article 30 of the Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법) sets the rule. When a housing lease is made in writing, the standard form is used first. The Minister of Justice sets that form with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The exception is simple: both sides agree to use a different form.

    So a broker’s own contract is lawful if you both agree to it. This is a priority rule, not a ban. If the paper in front of you is a different form, the translated standard contract still works as a checklist. Each article below has a line you can look for in the other form.

    Two more rules apply whichever form you sign. Article 10 of the Act voids any term that breaks the Act and is unfavorable to the tenant. And disputes over the use of the standard contract are among the cases the Housing Lease Dispute Conciliation Committee can mediate (Article 22).

    What the first page asks

    Page one describes the home and the kind of contract. Most of it is plain facts: address, area, and which rooms you are renting. Two lines need more attention, because they are where the landlord states what is already owed on the building.

    Page one, line by line
    Korean label · wording on the English form · what goes in the blank
    Korean label On the English form What goes there
    소재지(도로명주소) Location (road-name address) The street address of the building
    임차할 부분 Portion to be leased Building, floor and unit number, and the area in square meters
    계약의 종류 Type of contract New contract, renewal by agreement, or renewal by the tenant’s right under Article 6-3. For a renewal, the previous term, deposit and rent
    미납 국세·지방세 Unpaid national or local taxes The landlord ticks “none” and signs, or ticks “yes” and the details go on the broker’s explanation form
    선순위 확정일자 현황 Senior leases assigned with fixed dates Earlier tenants who hold a fixed date. Same two choices, same signature
    확정일자 부여란 Fixed-date assignment Space for the fixed-date stamp. No separate application is needed once a lease report with the contract attached is accepted
    보증금 있는 월세 · 전세 · 월세 Lease with deposit and monthly rent · Lease with deposit · Lease with monthly rent Tick one

    One line reads differently in the Vietnamese file. For the unit, the Korean asks for 동·층·호, and the Vietnamese renders 동 as Phường/Xã, an administrative ward. In a detailed address, 동 is the building number inside a complex, as in 101동.

    The two lines on unpaid taxes and senior leases are the only places on page one where the landlord signs. When the answer is “yes”, the details go into the broker’s explanation form (중개대상물 확인·설명서). They sit on page 2, under the item for actual rights and rights not shown on the register.

    The Act backs these lines with a duty. Under Article 3-7, added in 2023, the landlord must show you two things when the contract is made. The first is the fixed-date record for the house. The second is proof of tax payment. Before signing, the landlord can meet each duty instead by consenting to let you look the record up yourself.

    What the 13 articles set

    The 13 articles are the body of the contract. The table sums up what each one sets, in plain words. The exact wording is in the file, with the Korean and the translation side by side.

    The 13 articles in one table
    Korean title · title on the English form · what the article sets
    No. Title What it sets
    1 보증금과 차임 및 관리비
    Deposits, Rents, and Management Fees    		 The deposit, the earnest money paid at signing, dates for the intermediate and final payments, the monthly rent and its payment day, and management fees. A fixed fee of 100,000 KRW or more a month is broken into eight items
    2 임대차기간
    Term of lease    		 The handover date, and a lease term that runs from the day of handover
    3 입주 전 수리
    Repairs before move-in    		 Whether repairs are needed, the deadline, and what happens if they are not done. One listed option is to deduct the cost from the deposit or rent
    4 임차주택의 사용·관리·수선
    Use, Management, and Repair    		 No structural change, subletting, transfer or non-residential use without the landlord’s consent. Who pays for which repairs during the lease
    5 계약의 해제
    Rescission    		 Until the intermediate payment, or the final payment if there is none, the landlord can cancel by paying back double the earnest money. The tenant can cancel by giving it up
    6 채무불이행과 손해배상
    Non-Performance and Compensation    		 If one side fails to perform, the other sets a reasonable deadline, then may cancel and claim damages
    7 계약의 해지
    Termination    		 The tenant may end the lease if part of the home becomes unusable without the tenant’s fault. The landlord may end it if unpaid rent reaches two payments, or if Article 4 (1) is broken
    8 갱신요구와 거절
    Request for and Refusal of Contract Renewal    		 The tenant may ask to renew between six and two months before the end. The landlord may refuse only on the grounds in Article 6-3 (1) of the Act
    9 계약의 종료
    Termination or Expiration of Contract    		 The tenant returns the home in its original state, and the landlord returns the deposit at the same time. Normal wear and aging are not the tenant’s to restore
    10 비용의 정산
    Settlement of Expenses    		 Utilities and management fees are settled at the end. The tenant may claim back the long-term repair reserve from the owner or the management office
    11 분쟁의 해결
    Resolution of Disputes    		 The two sides try talks, or mediation by the Housing Lease Dispute Conciliation Committee
    12 중개보수 등
    Brokerage Fee, etc.    		 The broker’s fee as an amount or a rate, with VAT in or out. Each side pays its own share
    13 중개대상물확인·설명서 교부
    Explanation Manual for Verifying the Premises    		 The broker gives each side the explanation form and a copy of the broker’s guarantee certificate on a set date

    Article 4 comes with a note on the form that splits repair costs. Repairs from aging or defects in main systems, such as heating, water and sewage, and wiring, fall to the landlord. Damage caused by the tenant, small routine repairs, and consumables such as light bulbs fall to the tenant. The note cites Article 623 of the Civil Act and court rulings.

    What the special terms add

    Special terms (특약사항) come after Article 13. The form already prints six of them, plus a blank space marked “Other” (기타) for terms the two sides add.

    The printed special terms
    ✓ Move-in report and fixed date by a set date. The tenant fills in a date. The landlord may not put a mortgage or other security right on the home until the day after that date
    ✓ If the landlord breaks that term, the tenant may cancel or end the lease, and the landlord pays for the damage
    ✓ Undisclosed senior leases or unpaid taxes. The tax trigger is an amount written in the blank. If the tenant finds either, the tenant may cancel before the lease starts without losing the earnest money
    ✓ Mediation before court. Agree or disagree to apply to the conciliation committee before filing a lawsuit. The form notes a result within 60 days, 90 at most
    ✓ Demolition or rebuilding plans. None, or yes with a start date and duration
    ✓ Detailed address. If the unit has no detailed address, whether the owner consents to the tenant applying for one

    The third term is the one with a number left open. The form does not suggest an amount. It only sets the rule that applies once the two sides write one in.

    The first term ties into timing. Protection against third parties starts the day after you move in and register, as Annex 1 below shows. The printed term keeps the landlord from adding a mortgage until the day after the agreed date.

    What the two annexes are for

    Rules verified September 2026 · Housing Lease Protection Act Articles 3, 3-2, 6, 6-2, 6-3 and 7 · Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions, Article 6-2

    Annex 1 (별지1) is a summary of the rules that protect a tenant, grouped by stage. Annex 2 (별지2) is a form the landlord uses to refuse a renewal. Both come attached to the contract in the same file.

    Annex 1 in brief
    What the annex says · where the rule comes from
    Stage What the annex says Source
    Rights Handover plus registration lets you claim the lease against third parties from the next day. Add a fixed date and you are repaid ahead of later creditors. Keep both for the whole term Act, Articles 3 and 3-2
    Before signing Check the register certificate, unpaid taxes, and fixed-date records for a multi-household house. With the landlord’s consent, tax records are at the tax office and fixed-date records at the community center or registry Act, Article 3-6
    Lease report Covered areas only. A deposit over 60 million KRW or rent over 300,000 KRW a month is reported within 30 days to the city, county or district office. A report with the contract attached counts as a fixed date Reporting Act, Articles 6-2 and 6-5
    Rent increase No more than 5% of the current rent or deposit, and not within one year of the contract or the last increase Act, Article 7
    Silent renewal If neither side gives notice in time, the lease renews on the same terms for two years Act, Article 6
    Renewal request Once only, for two years, with any increase capped at 5%. A silent renewal or a renewal by agreement does not use it up Act, Article 6-3
    Higher deposit Get a new fixed date for the added amount Annex 1
    Disputes Conciliation committees at the Korea Legal Aid Corporation, the Korea Real Estate Board, the Korea Land and Housing Corporation and local governments Act, Article 14
    Count the 30 days from the date the contract is made
    In Annex 1, the Korean line counts the 30-day lease report from the contract date (계약체결일). The English line says “within 30 days of this contract’s entering into force”. Article 6-2 of the Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions uses the contract date. Go by the contract date, not the move-in date.

    One more point sits in the Act, not the annex. The annex says a tenant may end a silently renewed lease at any time. Article 6-2 adds that the notice takes effect three months after the landlord receives it.

    Annex 2 is the Notice of Refusal to Renew (계약갱신 거절통지서). It lists the nine grounds in Article 6-3 (1) of the Act as tick boxes. They run from rent arrears of two payments to the landlord’s family moving in. The form states that the refusal takes effect when the notice reaches the tenant.

    How “resident registration” applies to a foreign resident

    Rule verified September 2026 · Immigration Act, Article 88-2

    The contract and Annex 1 speak of resident registration (주민등록) and the move-in report (전입신고). The first special term asks for a date to complete the move-in report and get the fixed date. Read those words through one article of the Immigration Act (출입국관리법).

    Article 88-2 (2) names two procedures: registration as a foreign national (외국인등록) and the report of a change of residence (체류지 변경신고). They take the place of resident registration and the move-in report. So for a foreign resident, the move-in step on this contract is the change-of-residence report. The Immigration Act gives 15 days from the move for that report.

    Overseas Koreans who hold a domestic residence report (국내거소신고) are covered by a separate rule. Article 10 (4) of the Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans treats that report as registration. A report of moving counts as a change-of-residence report.

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the format of a lease agreement in English?
    The official one in Korea is the Ministry of Justice’s translated standard contract. The English file runs 11 pages. It has a first page on the home, 13 articles, printed special terms, a signature page and two annexes. Every Korean line is paired with its English line.
    Is there a standard rental agreement?
    Yes. The Ministry of Justice drafted it with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and outside experts. Article 30 of the Housing Lease Protection Act says it is used first, unless both sides agree on another form.
    How many years contract in South Korea?
    Article 4 of the Housing Lease Protection Act treats a lease with no term, or a term under two years, as a two-year lease. The tenant may still choose to hold to the shorter term. A renewal request adds two more years, once.
    What is the difference between jeonse and wolse?
    The contract offers three boxes. Jeonse (전세) is a lease with a deposit and no monthly rent. Wolse (월세) is a lease with monthly rent. The third, 보증금 있는 월세, has both. Article 12 of the Act applies its rules to jeonse even when it is not registered.
    What are the rights of tenants in South Korea?
    Annex 1 of the standard contract lists the main ones. There is a two-year minimum term, one renewal request, and a 5% cap on increases. With registration, possession and a fixed date, you are repaid ahead of later creditors. Terms that break the Act to the tenant’s disadvantage are void.
    Renting a home in Korea
    Korean Standard Lease Contract in English: What Each Part Says
    The official translation in three languages, and what each page, article and annex asks you to fill in.
    Before You Sign a Lease in Korea: What the Landlord Must Show
    The records the landlord must present, the landlord’s unpaid taxes, and how to read the register certificate.
    Fixed Date in Korea for Foreign Tenants: Protect Your Deposit
    Why your change-of-residence report is the move-in report, and where to get a fixed date for 600 KRW or less.
    Lease Renewal in Korea: The 2-Year Request and the 5% Cap
    When a lease renews on its own, the one renewal request you get, and how far rent can rise.

    Official sources

    Every rule here comes from the pages below. Laws and forms change, so open the page before you act on it.

    · Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법) · full text · Article 30, standard contract
    · Enforcement Decree of the Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법 시행령) · Article 22, disputes the committee mediates
    · Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions (부동산 거래신고 등에 관한 법률) · Article 6-2, lease report · Enforcement Decree Article 4-3, amounts and areas
    · Immigration Act (출입국관리법) · Article 88-2, registration in place of resident registration
    · Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans (재외동포의 출입국과 법적 지위에 관한 법률) · Article 10
    Information verified as of September 2026. Laws and the standard form are amended from time to time. Confirm the details with the official source before you sign. For questions about your stay, call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345.
    This site is not affiliated with the Korean government. Always confirm details with the official source.