Data-driven insights on living, working, and navigating Korea.
Getting a Korean driver’s license as a foreigner involves one of two paths: exchanging your home country license (no test required in many cases), or going through the full Korean licensing process from scratch. Which path applies depends entirely on your country of origin. This guide explains both routes, the exemption list, and what to … Read more
Korea’s National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) provides free preventive health checkups to all enrolled adults on a biennial schedule. For expats, these checkups are genuinely useful — comprehensive screenings that would cost hundreds of dollars in many countries are provided at no cost. This guide explains who’s eligible, what’s included, and how to actually book … Read more
The PASS app (패스) is South Korea’s primary mobile digital ID service — and for foreign residents, it solves a specific headache: proving your identity digitally without needing your physical ARC card every time. It’s also the gateway to mobile driver’s licenses, age verification, and a growing number of government service logins. What PASS Is … Read more
Your offer letter arrived three weeks ago. You’ve told your family, given notice, and started a spreadsheet of Seoul neighborhoods. Now comes the part nobody on LinkedIn talks about: the actual logistics of making it happen. Moving to Korea for work in 2026 is entirely doable — thousands of foreigners do it every year. But … Read more
Capital gains tax in Korea is one of the more complex areas for foreign residents — the rules differ based on whether you’re selling Korean assets, foreign-held stocks, Korean real estate, or global ETFs. This guide explains what’s taxable, at what rate, and how to file. 1. Types of Capital Gains and Who Pays Korea … Read more
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you sign up for Wise through our link, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Yes, you have to file taxes in both countries. No, that doesn’t automatically mean you pay double. The US-Korea setup is one of the more manageable dual-filing situations … Read more
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you sign up for a service through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This does not influence our editorial content. Living and working in Korea as an expat often means sending money back home. Whether it’s supporting family, paying off … Read more
Korea’s tax rules for remote workers and digital nomads are frequently misunderstood — partly because Korea doesn’t have a formal “digital nomad visa” tax regime, and partly because the actual rules depend on whether you’re a tax resident, a visa holder, or passing through. This guide covers the real rules as they apply in 2026. … Read more
Korea’s tax system offers meaningful financial benefits to married couples and families — but claiming them requires knowing what exists, what forms are involved, and how to navigate the year-end settlement (연말정산) process. This guide covers the marriage and family deductions available to residents, including foreign workers, and explains how to actually claim them. 1. … Read more
연말정산 (Year-End Tax Settlement) is Korea’s annual income tax reconciliation process, typically run in January–February of the following year. It’s the mechanism by which taxes withheld from your monthly paycheck throughout the year are compared against your actual tax liability — and you either get a refund or pay the difference. For foreign workers, the … Read more