EasyTicket There are a whopping 245 policy changes coming in the second half of 2026. You don’t need to read all of them. We’ve picked out only the ones that hit your paycheck, working conditions, and wallet directly, from the perspective of employees and side-giggers. The minimum wage has risen to 10,320 won an hour, a 1-week short-term parental leave option arrives in August, and penalties for wage theft get tougher in October. Skim the table below first, then click through to just the rows that matter to you.
2026 Second-Half Changes at a Glance
Here’s a table of just the essentials for employees and side-giggers, along with when each one takes effect. We’ll break down the details in the sections below.
| Effective | What’s Changing | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| All of 2026 | Minimum wage | 10,320 KRW/hour (2,156,880 KRW/month at 209 hours) |
| July | Yellow Umbrella Mutual Aid | Annual contribution cap raised to 18 million KRW |
| August | KTX/SRT booking | Bookable from 2 months before travel |
| August 20 | Short-term parental leave | Once a year, in 1- or 2-week blocks, with pay |
| October 8 | Wage-theft penalties | Up to 5 years in prison or a 50 million KRW fine |
| October 29 | Advance child support for single parents | Income cap removed; 200,000 KRW/month |
The effective dates are scattered. Most of them cluster in August and October, so just marking those dates on your calendar ahead of time will keep you from missing anything.
The Minimum Wage: How Much Is It Going Up?
The most common question is about the minimum wage. The 2026 minimum wage has been set at 10,320 KRW per hour, up 290 KRW (2.9%) from 10,030 KRW in 2025 (Source: Ministry of Employment and Labor). Converted to a monthly salary based on 8 hours a day, 5 days a week (209 hours/month), that comes to 2,156,880 KRW.
If You Work Multiple Jobs or Part-Time, Make Sure of This
If you’re paid by the hour, whether part-time or short-term, the hourly rate in your contract can’t be lower than 10,320 KRW. This applies for the entire year, from January 1 to December 31, 2026. Worth noting: the 2026 minimum wage is also notable as the first rate in 17 years to be set by joint agreement between labor and management.
- Check your pay stub to confirm your hourly rate is at least 10,320 KRW
- Check your contract to see whether it includes the weekly paid leave allowance
- If you work multiple jobs, check that the minimum wage applies separately at each workplace
Childcare: A 1-Week Leave Option Arrives in August
This is the most welcome change for working parents. A new short-term parental leave option launches on August 20. Previously, you had to take at least 30 days off to qualify for parental leave pay — now you can take a short 1-week (7-day) or 2-week (14-day) block, once a year, and still receive pay.
Who Can Use This
Any employee raising a child age 8 or under (or in 2nd grade or below) can apply. It’s designed to be used flexibly whenever a sudden childcare gap comes up — school vacations, an unexpected school or daycare closure, or a sick child.
A New Spousal Miscarriage/Stillbirth Leave, Too
A new spousal miscarriage/stillbirth leave has also been introduced, letting male employees take up to 5 days off if their partner experiences a miscarriage or stillbirth. The window for using paternity leave after a partner’s childbirth has also been extended.
Wage Theft: Penalties Are Getting Much Tougher
Wage theft is what side-giggers and freelancers find most infuriating. Starting October 8, the statutory penalty for habitual or malicious wage theft jumps significantly — from ‘up to 3 years in prison or a 30 million KRW fine’ to ‘up to 5 years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million KRW.‘
Wider Protection Even If Your Company Goes Under
The scope of the government’s substitute payment program — which pays out unpaid wages on a company’s behalf if it goes bankrupt — is also expanding, from 3 months’ worth of wages to 6 months’ worth. That means even if your company suddenly shuts down, the government will cover up to half a year of unpaid wages.
If you haven’t been paid, you can file a complaint with the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Since tougher penalties mean more pressure on employers, it helps to gather your evidence in advance — your employment contract, pay stubs, and work records.
Transportation and Everyday Life: Benefits That Help Your Wallet
Let’s also look at changes you’ll notice right away in daily life.
- KTX/SRT booking: Starting in August, you can book up to 2 months before your travel date. An integrated high-speed rail app that searches both KTX and SRT in one place also launches in August.
- Movie discount vouchers: 6,000 KRW discount vouchers (2 per person) go out to the first 4.5 million people.
- Parking obstruction crackdown: Starting in August, blocking a parking lot entrance and obstructing traffic can get your car towed by the local government or draw a fine of up to 5 million KRW.
- Toll discounts: Vehicles belonging to households with multiple children get a 10% discount on highway tolls on weekends and holidays.
For high-competition booking days — holidays, concerts, baseball games — timing the exact second booking opens is everything. When you’re waiting for the booking window to open 2 months before travel, it helps to double-check the official standard time.
The Bar for Advance Child Support for Single Parents Also Drops
Starting October 29, the income requirement for the advance child support program for single-parent families is being scrapped. It used to require household income at or below 150% of the median, but now, regardless of income, minor children in single-parent families who aren’t receiving child support will get 200,000 KRW per child per month, paid until age 18 (Source: Ministry of Gender Equality and Family).
Checklist and FAQ: Don’t Miss Out on These
Here’s a recap of just what you need to act on right away.
- If your hourly wage is under 10,320 KRW, double-check your pay stub
- If you have a child age 8 or under, consider applying for short-term parental leave after August 20
- Keep your employment contract and pay stubs on hand in case of wage theft
- Starting in August, mark your calendar for KTX/SRT booking 2 months before travel
- If you have multiple children, check the 10% weekend toll discount
If the minimum wage is 10,320 KRW, does my salary go up automatically?
If your hourly wage was below the minimum, your employer must raise it to at least 10,320 KRW. If you were already earning more than that, there’s no automatic raise. That said, your actual take-home pay can vary depending on how the weekly paid leave allowance and other allowances are calculated into it, so be sure to check your pay stub.
Does the short-term parental leave come with pay? When can I apply?
Yes — it takes effect on August 20, and you can receive parental leave pay even for a short 1- or 2-week block. Just remember it’s capped at once a year, so you can only use it once per year.
Do the tougher wage-theft penalties also apply to side jobs and part-time work?
Yes — as long as you’re classified as an employee, you’re protected against wage theft regardless of your employment type. From October 8, penalties increase to up to 5 years in prison or a 50 million KRW fine, and the substitute payment protection in case of bankruptcy expands to 6 months’ worth, giving short-term and part-time workers stronger protection too.
Most of the second-half changes cluster in August and October. Just mark the effective dates on your calendar, and handle whichever rows apply to you when the time comes — that way you won’t lose out on anything.