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National Pension lump-sum refund for foreigners leaving Korea: who qualifies and how to claim
Numbers checked against the official source on 2026-10-19
A foreign worker who leaves Korea can claim back National Pension contributions plus interest as a lump-sum refund if (1) their nationality is on the National Pension Service's refund list, or (2) they were insured on an E-8, E-9 or H-2 visa. You normally apply in person before you go (or by post, by an agent, or through your home country's social-insurance office if you have already left). The NPS gives no formula for the amount, so this page has no calculator.
Step 1 — are you eligible?
The NPS says a foreign insured person is entitled if any one of these is true:
- Your country pays Korean nationals a benefit that corresponds to the Korean lump-sum refund (reciprocity).
- A social security agreement on the lump-sum refund exists between your country and Korea.
- For the insured period when your visa was E-8 (employment for training), E-9 (non-professional employment) or H-2 (visiting employment): nationality does not matter.
The NPS also describes the refund generally as paid to someone who can no longer take part in the scheme and does not meet pension requirements: for example when they reach age 60 with less than 10 years of coverage, or emigrate permanently. The normal old-age pension needs 10 years or more of insured period.
Countries on the NPS list (table dated 2026.06.15)
| Basis | Countries as listed |
|---|---|
| Social security agreement (24 countries) | Germany, the U.S.A., Canada, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Australia, France, Belgium, Bulgaria, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Austria, India, Türkiye, Switzerland, Brazil, Peru, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Croatia, Uruguay, the Philippines, Argentina |
| Reciprocity, any insured period (17 countries) | Ghana, Sri Lanka, Bermuda, Malaysia, El Salvador, Indonesia, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, Trinidad and Tobago, Sudan, Colombia, Vanuatu, Tunisia, Uganda, Cambodia, Solomon Islands |
| Reciprocity, at least 1 year insured (8 countries) | Grenada, Jordan, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Thailand, Bhutan, Laos |
| Reciprocity, at least 6 months insured (1 country) | Belize |
The source table is flattened into one block. We matched countries to the three reciprocity columns using the printed counts (1, 8 and 17), which fit exactly. Nationals of a country that is on neither list are not shown as eligible by nationality; check the visa route or ask the NPS.
Where the NPS pages differ
| Topic | "Foreigners and Lump-sum Refund" page (table dated 2026.06.15) | "Social Security Agreement – Lump-sum Refund" page (no date) | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of reciprocity countries | 26, including Laos | "25 countries", Laos not named | The newer, dated table lists Laos. The undated page looks older. Confirm Laos with the NPS. |
| Agreement countries | 24, including Switzerland | Says Swiss nationals are paid, and that Irish, Danish, Spanish, Swedish, Finnish and New Zealand nationals are not permitted under their agreements | These six are not on the dated table either, so both pages agree they get no refund by nationality. |
Step 2 — how to apply
In principle you apply in person. If you are abroad and cannot visit an NPS office you may send an agent, or post the documents.
| Where you are | Documents |
|---|---|
| In Korea, before leaving | Refund application; passport; alien registration card; a copy of proof of your bank account (for example a statement); material evidence that your departure date is within a month of the application date. |
| Abroad, by post | Application; passport; bank-account proof; application for overseas remittance. |
| Abroad, by agent | Same as post, plus the agent's ID card; the agent's details go in the agent section of the application, which may be replaced by a power of attorney signed by you. |
| Abroad, through a partner institution (MOU route) | Same documents as by post, but notarisation and Apostille or consulate attestation can be skipped. Listed partners: Mongolia (The Social Insurance General Office of Mongolia), Uzbekistan (Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population), Thailand (Ministry of Labour), Sri Lanka (Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare), Kyrgyzstan (The Social Fund of the Kyrgyz Republic), Indonesia (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan). |
Papers issued overseas must be attested by a local consulate (private documents also notarised); documents in a foreign language must be translated into Korean and notarised. For Apostille Convention countries an Apostille replaces the consulate attestation.
Step 3 — cash at Incheon Airport (optional)
If you fly out of Incheon within one month of applying, you can take the refund as foreign-currency cash on the day you leave. The NPS lists these conditions:
- Your former employer must report your resignation (loss of coverage) to the NPS by the day before departure.
- No service on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and the last business day of December. Flights must leave 10:30–24:00 (Terminal 1) or 11:00–24:00 (Terminal 2) on weekdays.
- 16 currencies, including USD, EUR, JPY and CNY. Korean won is not paid.
- Choose "Airport Payment" when you file, and give a Korean or overseas bank account as a backup.
- Before departure, at an NPS office (not the Incheon Airport centre): bring passport, alien registration card, a flight ticket for a departure within 1 month and a copy of a bankbook; you get a Certificate of Application Acceptance.
- NPS Incheon Airport Center, Terminal 1 (1st floor, between Exits 1 and 2, booths 7–8, 09:00–18:00). Everyone goes here, whichever terminal they depart from. Show passport and the acceptance certificate to get the notice of decision and a payment direction.
- Woori Bank currency exchange, before immigration. Terminal 1: US$10,000 or more at B1F Airport Financial Center (09:00–16:00); under US$10,000 at 3F near Counter H (09:00–21:00). Terminal 2 has its own counters.
- Collect the cash after immigration at the Woori Bank booth near Boarding Gate 11 (Terminal 1, 09:00–21:00) or Gate 250 (Terminal 2).
What you get, and the time limit
You receive the refund plus interest for the matching insured period, the same way a Korean national does. The NPS says interest is based on a fixed deposit with a 3-year maturity, from the month after each contribution to the month the entitlement takes effect. No amount formula or rate is printed, which is why there is no calculator here.
If you do not apply within five years of becoming entitled, the right lapses. The NPS adds that you may still re-apply within 10 years after you reach age 60, or survivors within five years after your death.
The main NPS table is dated 2026.06.15; the other NPS pages print no date and were read on 2026-10-19. Rules can change and individual cases differ (for example, if a country agreement changes). Confirm with a local NPS office before leaving Korea; this is not legal advice.
Official sources
- National Pension Service — Foreigners and Lump-sum Refund — eligibility, country table dated 2026.06.15, documents, airport payment, 5-year limit (checked 2026-10-19)
- National Pension Service — Social Security Agreement: Lump-sum Refund — agreement-country rules and the older reciprocity list; no revision date printed (read on 2026-10-19) (checked 2026-10-19)
- National Pension Service — Benefits — description of the lump-sum refund and the 10-year pension rule; no revision date printed (read on 2026-10-19) (checked 2026-10-19)
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