Navigating employment in Korea involves understanding key systems like the 4 Major Social Insurances, known as 4대보험 (Sa-dae-bo-heom). This guide explains this essential concept, covering the core term, its components, related vocabulary, useful phrases, and cultural context to help you understand your rights and obligations as an employee or employer in South Korea.
Table Of Content
Core Term
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Expression: 4대보험
Pronunciation: sa-dae-bo-heom
Meaning: The 4 Major Social Insurances (This collective term refers to National Pension, National Health Insurance, Employment Insurance, and Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance.)
Korean Expressions
The 4대보험 system consists of four distinct mandatory insurance programs:
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Expression: 국민연금
Pronunciation: guk-min yeon-geum
Meaning: National Pension (Provides pension benefits upon retirement, disability, or death.) -
Expression: 국민건강보험
Pronunciation: guk-min geon-gang-bo-heom
Meaning: National Health Insurance (Covers medical expenses for illness, injury, diagnosis, etc.) -
Expression: 고용보험
Pronunciation: go-yong-bo-heom
Meaning: Employment Insurance (Provides unemployment benefits, job stabilization support, and vocational training.) -
Expression: 산재보험 (산업재해보상보험)
Pronunciation: san-jae-bo-heom (sa-neop-jae-hae-bo-sang-bo-heom)
Meaning: Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (Covers medical treatment and compensation for work-related injuries, illnesses, or death. Often shortened to 산재보험.)
Related Vocabulary
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Expression: 근로자
Pronunciation: geul-lo-ja
Meaning: Employee / Worker -
Expression: 사업주
Pronunciation: sa-eop-ju
Meaning: Employer / Business Owner -
Expression: 보험료
Pronunciation: bo-heom-ryo
Meaning: Insurance premium -
Expression: 공제
Pronunciation: gong-je
Meaning: Deduction (from salary) -
Expression: 가입
Pronunciation: ga-ip
Meaning: Enrollment / Subscription -
Expression: 탈퇴
Pronunciation: tal-toe
Meaning: Withdrawal / Cancellation -
Expression: 급여명세서
Pronunciation: geu-byeo-myeong-se-seo
Meaning: Payslip / Salary statement -
Expression: 수급자격
Pronunciation: su-geup-ja-gyeok
Meaning: Eligibility for benefits -
Expression: 신청
Pronunciation: sin-cheong
Meaning: Application -
Expression: 의무가입
Pronunciation: ui-mu-ga-ip
Meaning: Mandatory enrollment -
Expression: 월급
Pronunciation: wol-geup
Meaning: Monthly salary -
Expression: 혜택
Pronunciation: hye-taek
Meaning: Benefit / Advantage
Useful Phrases
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Expression: 4대보험 가입되어 있나요?
Pronunciation: sa-dae-bo-heom ga-ip-doe-eo it-na-yo?
Meaning: Am I enrolled in the 4 Major Social Insurances? -
Expression: 제 월급에서 4대보험료가 얼마 공제되나요?
Pronunciation: je wol-geu-be-seo sa-dae-bo-heom-ryo-ga eol-ma gong-je-doe-na-yo?
Meaning: How much is deducted from my salary for the 4 Major Social Insurances? -
Expression: 4대보험 가입 확인서를 받고 싶습니다.
Pronunciation: sa-dae-bo-heom ga-ip hwa-gin-seo-reul bat-go sip-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: I would like to receive a certificate of enrollment for the 4 Major Social Insurances. -
Expression: 국민연금은 나중에 돌려받을 수 있나요?
Pronunciation: guk-min-yeon-geu-meun na-jung-e dol-lyeo-ba-deul su it-na-yo?
Meaning: Can I get the National Pension contributions back later? -
Expression: 실업급여를 신청하려면 어떻게 해야 하나요?
Pronunciation: si-reop-geu-byeo-reul sin-cheong-ha-ryeo-myeon eo-tteo-ke hae-ya ha-na-yo?
Meaning: How do I apply for unemployment benefits? -
Expression: 건강보험 혜택은 무엇인가요?
Pronunciation: geon-gang-bo-heom hye-tae-geun mu-eo-sin-ga-yo?
Meaning: What are the benefits of National Health Insurance? -
Expression: 산재보험 처리는 어떻게 진행되나요?
Pronunciation: san-jae-bo-heom cheo-ri-neun eo-tteo-ke jin-haeng-doe-na-yo?
Meaning: How does the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance process work? -
Expression: 사업주 부담분과 근로자 부담분은 얼마인가요?
Pronunciation: sa-eop-ju bu-dam-bun-gwa geul-lo-ja bu-dam-bu-neun eol-ma-in-ga-yo?
Meaning: How much is the employer’s contribution and the employee’s contribution? -
Expression: 프리랜서도 4대보험에 가입할 수 있나요?
Pronunciation: peu-ri-raen-seo-do sa-dae-bo-heo-me ga-ip-hal su it-na-yo?
Meaning: Can freelancers also enroll in the 4 Major Social Insurances? -
Expression: 4대보험 관련해서 문의할 곳이 어디인가요?
Pronunciation: sa-dae-bo-heom gwal-lyeon-hae-seo mun-ui-hal go-si eo-di-in-ga-yo?
Meaning: Where can I inquire about matters related to the 4 Major Social Insurances? -
Expression: 퇴사하면 4대보험은 어떻게 되나요?
Pronunciation: toe-sa-ha-myeon sa-dae-bo-heo-meun eo-tteo-ke doe-na-yo?
Meaning: What happens to the 4 Major Social Insurances when I resign?
Korean Culture Notes
Mandatory Nature: For most regular employees working over a certain number of hours per month in companies with a certain number of employees, enrollment in 4대보험 is mandatory by law. Both the employer and employee contribute portions of the premiums, which are typically deducted directly from the salary.
Social Safety Net: The 4대보험 system is a cornerstone of South Korea’s social safety net. It reflects a societal value placed on collective welfare, providing basic security against major life risks like unemployment, illness, old age, and work-related accidents.
Foreign Workers: Foreign nationals legally employed in Korea are generally subject to the same 4대보험 requirements as Korean nationals, although specific rules regarding National Pension refunds upon departure may vary based on nationality and reciprocal agreements.
Transparency: Employers are legally required to enroll their eligible employees. Details of the deductions for each of the four insurances should be clearly listed on the monthly payslip (급여명세서 – geu-byeo-myeong-se-seo).
Employer’s Responsibility: The primary responsibility for enrolling employees and managing contributions lies with the employer. Failure to do so can result in legal penalties for the business.
Real Conversation Example
Situation: A new employee (A) is asking the HR representative (B) about the 4 Major Social Insurances during their onboarding.
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Expression: A: 안녕하세요, 4대보험 관련해서 질문이 있습니다.
Pronunciation: an-nyeong-ha-se-yo, sa-dae-bo-heom gwal-lyeon-hae-seo jil-mu-ni it-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: Hello, I have a question regarding the 4 Major Social Insurances. -
Expression: B: 네, 말씀하세요. 어떤 점이 궁금하신가요?
Pronunciation: ne, mal-sseum-ha-se-yo. eo-tteon jeo-mi gung-geum-ha-sin-ga-yo?
Meaning: Yes, please go ahead. What are you curious about? -
Expression: A: 제가 자동으로 4대보험에 가입되는 건가요? 그리고 보험료는 월급에서 얼마나 공제되나요?
Pronunciation: je-ga ja-dong-eu-ro sa-dae-bo-heo-me ga-ip-doe-neun geon-ga-yo? geu-ri-go bo-heom-ryo-neun wol-geu-be-seo eol-ma-na gong-je-doe-na-yo?
Meaning: Am I automatically enrolled in the 4 Major Social Insurances? And how much are the premiums deducted from my salary? -
Expression: B: 네, 정규직 근로자는 입사 시 자동으로 4대보험에 가입됩니다. 보험료는 급여 수준에 따라 다르며, 근로자와 회사가 일정 비율로 부담합니다. 급여명세서에 공제 내역이 상세히 나올 거예요.
Pronunciation: ne, jeong-gyu-jik geul-lo-ja-neun ip-sa si ja-dong-eu-ro sa-dae-bo-heo-me ga-ip-doem-ni-da. bo-heom-ryo-neun geu-byeo su-ju-ne tta-ra da-reu-myeo, geul-lo-ja-wa hoe-sa-ga il-jeong bi-yul-lo bu-dam-ham-ni-da. geu-byeo-myeong-se-seo-e gong-je nae-yeo-gi sang-se-hi na-ol geo-ye-yo.
Meaning: Yes, full-time employees are automatically enrolled upon joining the company. The premium amount depends on your salary level, and both the employee and the company contribute a certain percentage. The deduction details will be shown on your payslip. -
Expression: A: 알겠습니다. 혹시 4대보험 가입 확인서가 필요하면 요청할 수 있나요?
Pronunciation: al-get-seum-ni-da. hok-si sa-dae-bo-heom ga-ip hwa-gin-seo-ga pi-ryo-ha-myeon yo-cheong-hal su it-na-yo?
Meaning: I understand. If I need a certificate of enrollment for the 4 Major Social Insurances, can I request one? -
Expression: B: 네, 필요하시면 언제든지 인사팀에 요청해주세요. 발급해 드릴 수 있습니다.
Pronunciation: ne, pi-ryo-ha-si-myeon eon-je-deun-ji in-sa-ti-me yo-cheong-hae-ju-se-yo. bal-geup-hae deu-ril su it-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: Yes, if you need one, please request it from the HR team anytime. We can issue it for you.
Practice Tips
Understanding 4대보험 is crucial for anyone working in Korea! Try reviewing your own 급여명세서 (payslip) to see the deductions for 국민연금, 건강보험, 고용보험, and 산재보험 (though 산재보험 is usually fully paid by the employer, it’s part of the system). Don’t hesitate to ask your HR department (인사팀 – in-sa-tim) questions using the phrases learned today~. Familiarizing yourself with these terms will make navigating Korean work life much smoother!
