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Korea income tax brackets 2026 for residents: the eight rates from 6% to 45%, local income tax and a tax-on-taxable-income calculator
Numbers checked against the official source on 2026-10-19
For a Korean tax resident, income tax on global (comprehensive) income is progressive: 6 percent on taxable income up to KRW 14 million, rising through eight brackets to 45 percent on the part above KRW 1 billion. The law is Article 55 of the Income Tax Act, in force on 2026-01-01. On top of income tax there is local income tax, which the Local Tax Act sets at one-tenth of each income-tax figure as a standard rate. The table and calculator below use only that law table and apply to taxable income (after deductions), not to your salary.
Law text: Income Tax Act (소득세법) Article 55 shown as "[시행 2026. 1. 1.] [법률 제21221호, 2025. 12. 23., 일부개정]"; Local Tax Act (지방세법) Article 92 shown as "[시행 2026. 1. 1.] [법률 제21308호, 2025. 12. 31., 일부개정]". Both pages carry a "시행예정법령" (upcoming version) flag; Article 55's own amendment list in the text ends at 2022-12-31 and Article 92's at 2023-03-14. Read on 2026-10-19.
Korea income tax brackets for residents (Article 55)
| Taxable income | Tax |
|---|---|
| Up to 14 million | 6% of the taxable income |
| Over 14 million, up to 50 million | 840,000 + 15% of the amount over 14 million |
| Over 50 million, up to 88 million | 6,240,000 + 24% of the amount over 50 million |
| Over 88 million, up to 150 million | 15,360,000 + 35% of the amount over 88 million |
| Over 150 million, up to 300 million | 37,060,000 + 38% of the amount over 150 million |
| Over 300 million, up to 500 million | 94,060,000 + 40% of the amount over 300 million |
| Over 500 million, up to 1 billion | 174,060,000 + 42% of the amount over 500 million |
| Over 1 billion | 45% of the amount over 1 billion (see the note below on the fixed amount) |
Note on the top bracket. The saved text of the law's table image gives the top row only as "45 percent of the amount exceeding 1 billion", with no fixed amount in front, unlike the rows above it. The Local Tax Act table prints "38,406,000 + 1,000ths 45 of the excess over 1 billion" for the same bracket. Continuing the national table from the row above gives 174,060,000 + 42% x 500,000,000 = 384,060,000, which is ten times the local figure. The calculator therefore adds 384,060,000 at the top bracket (derived, not printed in the Article 55 text we saved). If you are in that bracket, confirm the figure with the tax office.
How much is local income tax in Korea?
Article 92(1) of the Local Tax Act sets a standard rate table for local income tax on comprehensive income, with the same eight brackets and each rate written as thousandths (6/1000 up to 14 million, 15/1000, 24/1000, 35/1000, 38/1000, 40/1000, 42/1000, 45/1000). Every amount in it is one-tenth of the matching Article 55 amount (for example 84,000 against 840,000; 624,000 against 6,240,000), so local income tax comes to 10 percent of the income tax at the standard rate. Paragraph 2 lets a local government raise or lower the rate by up to 50 percent by ordinance, so your actual local rate can differ.
Income tax calculator on taxable income
Enter your taxable income (과세표준), the figure left after deductions on your return. The calculator applies Article 55 only, then shows local income tax at the standard 10 percent.
Not covered: how to get from salary to taxable income, tax credits, foreign tax credit, withholding already paid, the flat-rate option, minimum taxes and the non-resident table. Many foreign workers choose a flat rate instead; see the 19 percent flat tax for foreign workers and year-end tax settlement for foreign workers.
Where official sources disagree
| Source | What it shows | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Income Tax Act Article 55, in force 2026-01-01 | Eight brackets, 6% to 45% (table above) | Headline value. |
| National Tax Service English FAQ "Could you explain the income tax rates in Korea? (in the case of business income earner)", posted 2020.11.11 | Four brackets: 8% under 10 million; 800,000 + 17% over 10 million to 40 million; 5,900,000 + 26% over 40 million to 80 million; 16,300,000 + 35% over 80 million | Older than the law. Do not use it; it does not match Article 55. |
Next steps
- Work out your taxable income from your return or year-end settlement result.
- Run it through the table to see the national tax, and take one-tenth for the standard local income tax.
- Confirm with the National Tax Service before you file; its Help Desk page lists a helpline for foreigners at 82-1588-0560, Monday to Friday 9:00am to 6:00pm (except 11:30am-1:00pm).
This page explains statute tables and is not tax advice. Checked 2026-10-19.
Official sources
- National Law Information Center — Income Tax Act, Article 55 (tax rates) — eight-bracket table; table is an image, read from its alt text; in force 2026-01-01 (checked 2026-10-19)
- National Law Information Center — Local Tax Act, Article 92 (tax rates, individual local income tax) — standard local income tax table (one-tenth) and the 50 percent ordinance adjustment; in force 2026-01-01 (checked 2026-10-19)
- National Tax Service (English) — FAQ: income tax rates (business income earner) — older four-bracket table posted 2020.11.11, shown as a disagreement (checked 2026-10-19)
- National Tax Service (English) — Help Desk — helpline for foreigners and hours (checked 2026-10-19)
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