Health Insurance

In Korea the whole country is part of a medical insurance plan for which monthly fees are paid. When you receive treatment at a hospital, you pay 30% of the cost of treatment, and the rest is paid by the National Health Insurance Corporation. Foreigners may also enjoy the benefits of health insurance. Korea requires that foreign workers join the country¡¯s medical insurance system, and a certain amount is taken out of their wages every month as insurance payments. The problem, however, are the foreign nationals who are not currently under legal status. These individuals suffer even more damage to their health because they are not treated on time. If you are in a similar situation, do not wait. Seek help from one of the many organizations aiding foreign laborers.

Persons to be Medically Insured

Spouses or children of citizens of the Republic of Korea living in Korea under F-1 (Visiting and Joining Families) status.
Foreigners and their spouses and dependents under the age of twenty (F-3) living in Korea for more than one year with any of the following visas: D-1 (Culture/Art), D-2 (Student), D-3 (Industrial Trainee), D-4 (General Trainee), D-5 (Resident Correspondent), D-6 (Religious Worker), D-7 (Intra- Company Transferee), D-8 (Treaty Investor), D-9 (Treaty Trader), E-1 (Professor), E-2 (Foreign Language Teacher), E-3 (Research), E-4 (Special Technology Instructor), E-5 (Specialty Occupant), E-7 (Other Particular Occupant), E-8 (Industrial Trainee Employment).
Foreign nationals in Korea with F-2 visa status.
Overseas Korean (F-4) of foreign citizenship residing in Korea.

Qualifications and Application Process

(1) Time qualifications are satisfied
At any time after you have registered as an alien.
Overseas Koreans qualify after registering as living in the country or after alien registration.

(2) Application Process
Apply at the branch of the National Health Insurance Corporation in your area of residence. Submit a copy of your Alien Registration Card or your report of domestic residence. If you have income relating to your status of sojourn you should submit documentation confirming this. Students must submit proof of enrollment.

Ending your coverage

Your coverage ends the day after you depart permanently from the country, your sojourn having been completed.
When you come to be covered by workplace insurance or become a dependent.
The day after the last day covered by your last payment, should you fail to pay insurance fees.

Basis for Insurance Fees

(1) Foreigners with ascertainable income (wages).
Insurance rates for workplace insurance is applied to standard monthly wages.

(2) Foreigners with no income or income difficult to ascertain (Culture/Arts visa, students, general trainees, overseas Korean).
Average insurance rates by household under regional insurance, though students are discounted 30%.

(3) Foreigners living in Korea permanently. (Visiting and joining family, residence).
Rates are same as Korean nationals, based on income and property.

Insurance Payments Methods

Insurance payments are paid for in three month periods and in advance (the first payment therefore requires retroactive payment for the current three month period). Permanent resident foreign nationals are exempted from this method.

National Health Insurance Corporation

Any questions about the national medical insurance program and information about the locations of offices of the National Health Insurance Corporation may be found at http://www.nhic.or.kr