Social Security System in Korea

The social security system of Korea has three components: social insurance, public assistance, and social welfare service.

Please refer to National Health Insurance Service website for further information.

National Health Insurance (NHI)

The Korean National Health Insurance(NHI) system covers the entire population residing within the territory of Korea except for beneficiaries of medical aid. The major source of financing is mainly contributions from the insured and subsidies from the government.

It is mandatory for all international students who are staying in Korea to register for health insurance with the National Health Insurance of Korea from March 1, 2021. Even if an international student do not report to the National Health Insurance Service(NHIS), NHIS automatically processes the registration.

 Please check with NHIS call center for detailed exception conditions below.

Please refer to National Health Insurance Service booklet for further information.

Enrollment Period

Enrollment Time

Visa Type	Enrollment Period
Overseas Study (D-2) - Full-degree, Exchange, Visiting Interntational Students	Foreigner registration date , Re-entry date
General Training (D-4) - KLI Students	Six months after the entry date
Overseas Korean Students	On the date of admission into a school

[Note]

• A NHI card and Subscription Guide are sent to your residential address in Korea
• Before receiving the Foreigner Registration Card, you can use National Health Insurance by issuing ‘Certificate of Foreigner Registration’[외국인등록사실증명] from the Immigration and Foreign Offices.

[Private insurance prior to foreigner registration]

It will take around 6 to 8 weeks to apply for and receive the Alien Registration Card. In other words, the subscription to National Health Insurance Corporation will be processed in 6 to 8 week period. This results in a 6-8 weeks where one will not be covered by insurance. It is recommended for international students to subscribe to a personal insurance valid for 2 to 3 months from the moment of arrival to Korea, or subscribe to private insurance product by the company below.

• 중앙인스코리아
  • Website : http://n.foreignerdb.com/indivi/
  • Tel. : +82-2-776-8500
  • E-mail : info@insclick.com

When receiving medical care from a hospital, co-payment may occur even when subscribed to National Health Insurance, and considerable amount of co-payment may occur for treatments not covered by this insurance product. In preparation, many Koreans subscribe to additional insurance product to broaden the coverage, which is also available to international students. If one wishes to subscribe to additional private insurance product, contact the insurance company for help.

Benefits & Co-payment Rate

Insurance benefits are available from the date of enrollment(The same benefits as the Korean citizens).

Various benefits are available, including dental and oriental medical treatment, health checkups, and pregnancy and childbirth-related medical expenses.

The above is inapplicable to non-covered items, such as treatment for diseases that do not affect work or daily life (example: plastic surgery).

A person who receives medical care benefits bears part of the medical expenses as below.

Co-Payment table

	Type	Co-Payment
Inpatient		20% of total treatment cost (Registered cancer patients 5%, Registered rare/incurable diseases patients 10%)
Outpatient	Higher level general hospital Tertiary Hospital	60% of total treatment cost and other expenses
	General Hospital	50% (administrative district: Dong), 45% (administrative district: Eup, Myeon) of total care benefit expenses
	Pharmacy	40% (administrative district: Dong), 35% (administrative district: Eup, Myeon) of total care benefit expenses
	Hospital	30% of total care benefit expenses
	Clinic	30% of total care benefit expenses

[Source: NHI Service]

(General Health Checkups) For office worker, general health checkups are available biannually depending on your year of birth(Annually for non-office worker)

Please refer to National Health Insurance Service website for further information.

Disadvantages with Non-payment of Contributions

1) Restrictions on Health Insurance Benefits

Health Insurance benefits at medical care institutions are unavailable from the first day of the month following the payment deadline until the contribution is fully paid.

2) Restrictions on Visa Extension

Your stay in Korea may not be extended by the Korea Immigration Service

• (Exception)The restriction on visa extension does not apply if the contribution in arrears is less than KRW 500,000 or if other collection in arrears are less than KRW 100,000.

3) Default Dispositions

The NHIS may demand payment by the specified period. Where a person fails to pay the insurance contributions by the specified period, compulsory collection procedures to seize his/her real estate, automobile, deposit, and so on may proceed.

• The contributions in arrears may be paid in installments. The restriction on health insurance benefits will be lifted and made available once such installments are fully paid.

If you default on health insurance contributions, health insurance benefits are limited, and even if you pay the arrears in full later on, you will not be reimbursed for medical expenses retrospectively. Therefore, please be careful not to default on insurance contributions.

National Health Insurance Exclusion Application

1) Please check with NHIS call center for detailed exception conditions.

2) Required Document

Documents verifying that medical guarantee, such as applications for exclusion of membership, insurance certificates, etc. is available

• France: exclusion application form(exclusion processes after checking Nationality)
• Japan: Japan health insurance card, exclusion application form
• U.S.A: Uniform Card or Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance card, exclusion application form

For documents in foreign languages, you can submit the original and Korean translation number together. (Apostille certification and translation notarization are not required.)

If you would like to apply for a subscription exception, please contact the NHIS (Tel. 1577-1000) first and prepare the documents.

Please refer to National Health Insurance Service website for further information.

The NHIS Center for Foreign Residents (Seoul and Metropolitan Area)

The NHIS Center for Foreign Residents (Seoul and Metropolitan Area)

Center Name	Location	Center Information
Seoul Center	3rd floor, Sindorim Techno Mart(Upmu-dong), 97, Seamal-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul
Incheon Center	7th floor, Bupyeongdaero Post Office, 88 Bupyeong-daero, Bupeyong-gu, Incheon