South Korean time cards must separate recess, waiting time, and overtime. Everhour keeps approved team rules organized.
Enter your daily hours and rate to instantly calculate total hours, regular pay, and any overtime — no spreadsheet needed.
The calculator gives you the number — Everhour takes it from there.
One click and you're timing. Start a timer, add an entry, edit the details. This is exactly how it feels in Everhour.
Set a budget, assign rates, and get alerted before you're over.
Measurement
Track your budget through time or costs
Every report you need — configured your way, always up to date.
Tracked hours flow straight into a polished invoice — no copy-paste, no manual math.
A South Korea time card calculation answers how many hours count as work after valid recess time is removed. Under South Korea's Labor Standards Act, ordinary work hours may not exceed 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week, excluding recess hours. The Act generally applies to workplaces that regularly employ at least five employees, with some provisions applying to smaller workplaces by Presidential Decree.
The result gives you daily paid work time, weekly total work time, and any extended work above the ordinary weekly limit. It also helps separate ordinary hours from overtime hours that require at least an additional 50% of ordinary wages. Night work between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. has the same minimum extra premium, so time cards need clear start and end times.
South Korea requires at least 30 minutes of recess when an employee works 4 hours and at least 1 hour of recess when an employee works 8 hours. Recess must be provided during working hours and must be usable freely by the employee. A time card should record the break separately from the shift span, especially when the worker crosses the 4-hour or 8-hour mark.
Valid recess hours are excluded from statutory work-hour totals. Employer-directed waiting time is different: waiting time under the employer's direction and supervision that is necessary for the work counts as work hours. A receptionist told to remain at the desk during a quiet period records that time as work. A meal break the employee can freely use is deducted as recess.
Start with daily work totals after valid recess is excluded. Suppose an employee earns ₩15,000 per hour and records paid work totals of 9, 8, 10, 8, and 7 hours across the workweek. The weekly work total is 42 hours. The first 40 hours are ordinary work, and the remaining 2 hours are extended work.
Ordinary pay is 40 hours × ₩15,000, which equals ₩600,000. Extended work uses at least 150% of the ordinary hourly wage, so the overtime rate is ₩22,500. Overtime pay is 2 hours × ₩22,500, which equals ₩45,000. The total wage for these hours is ₩645,000, before any separate night-work, holiday, contract, or payroll additions.
A single weekly total is enough for a rough pay check when the employee has ordinary daytime hours, one clear unpaid recess period, and no unusual schedule. The time card needs deeper review when a shift includes directed waiting time, night work, weekly paid holiday treatment, minors, or a special transport or health-care arrangement.
South Korea allows work hours to be extended by up to 12 hours per week above statutory work hours by agreement between the parties, described by MOEL as a 52-hour maximum weekly working-hours system. Everhour Team Management supports a durable workflow with weekly capacity, approval workflow, lock rules, and admin time correction, so reviewed time stays stable before payroll.
This content is for general information only, may not be fully up to date, and is provided without any warranty or liability.
High Performer
G2
Summer 2026
Best Ease Of Use
Capterra
Summer 2026
Rated in the top time trackers across G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius — with consistent praise for ease of use, integrations, and support.
Hours spent performing work count, and employer-directed waiting time under supervision that is necessary for the work also counts. Valid recess time is excluded when the employee can use it freely during working hours. The practical check is control: a break controlled by the employee is recess, while a waiting period controlled by the employer stays in work time.
Yes. South Korea requires at least 30 minutes of recess when an employee works 4 hours and at least 1 hour of recess when an employee works 8 hours. The recess must be provided during working hours. A time card should show the break separately so payroll can exclude valid recess from statutory work-hour totals.
No. Ordinary work hours may not exceed 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week, excluding recess hours. With agreement between the parties, work hours may be extended by up to 12 hours per week above statutory work hours. MOEL describes this as a 52-hour maximum weekly working-hours system.
A night-work check is needed when recorded time falls between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. of the next day. Night work requires at least an additional 50% of ordinary wages. The time card should preserve exact start and end times, because a weekly total alone cannot show which hours fall inside the night-work window.
Employees aged 15 to under 18 may not work more than 7 hours per day or 35 hours per week. Mutual agreement can extend that only up to 1 hour per day and 5 hours per week. A time card for a minor needs a separate limit check because adult daily and weekly limits produce the wrong compliance review.
Everhour Team Management lets admins set weekly capacity, approve or reject submitted time, lock approved periods, and correct entries for team members. That workflow helps managers review South Korea time cards before payroll, especially when recess deductions, weekly limits, or corrected daily totals need a controlled approval trail.
Set capacity, approvals, lock rules, and admin corrections before totals reach payroll. Everhour Team Management keeps reviewed South Korea time cards controlled, consistent, and ready for payroll review.
14-day free trial · No credit card · Cancel anytime
