This Korea pension lump-sum refund calculator for foreigners estimates how much National Pension Service (NPS) money you can get back when you permanently leave Korea. The refund is your accumulated National Pension contributions (for employees, including the employer's matching share) plus statutory interest — and for treaty-eligible foreigners it is paid out in a single lump sum (ban-hwan il-shi-geum). Enter your standard monthly income, the number of months you contributed, and your employment type, and the tool returns your total contributions, accrued interest, and the estimated lump-sum refund in both KRW and USD. It is the exact "how much pension refund will I get leaving Korea" number departing expats search for and rarely find in plain English.
Use the national pension refund calculator for Korea foreigners below, then read the eligibility rules, the 2026 contribution rates, and a fully worked example so you understand every won behind the figure.
The calculator multiplies your standard monthly income by your contribution rate and by the number of months you paid in to get your total contributions, then adds simple interest. As an employee in 2026 you contribute 4.75% of standard monthly income and your employer adds a matching 4.75%; both halves are included in the refund. A self-employed or regional member pays the full 9.5% themselves, and all of it is refundable. Interest is applied across the holding period — because contributions accumulate gradually, the tool applies the rate to the average balance over the period, which closely tracks how the NPS credits statutory interest.
This is the single most important rule, and the one most "national pension refund Korea foreigner" searches miss. Under the National Pension Act, a departing foreigner can claim a lump-sum refund only if one of these is true:
Citizens of countries such as the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Hungary, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Turkey are generally able to receive a lump-sum refund (the exact basis — agreement vs. reciprocity — varies). By contrast, nationals of several countries (for example China and some EU members where the agreement only "totalizes" periods rather than refunding) typically cannot withdraw the lump sum (except for periods on an E-8, E-9 or H-2 visa) and instead keep their record for a future pension. Always confirm your specific nationality with the NPS before assuming a refund.
Knowing the rate is essential to any NPS lump sum refund calculator, because your refund is built from the full contribution, including the employer's share for employees.
| Member type | Total rate | Your own share (refundable) | Employer share (also refundable) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employee (workplace) | 9.5% | 4.75% | 4.75% |
| Self-employed / regional | 9.5% | 9.5% | — |
The contribution rate increased from 9% to 9.5% on 1 January 2026, the first step of a phased rise scheduled through 2033. Contributions are also capped: the standard monthly income ceiling is KRW 6,370,000 until June 2026 and KRW 6,590,000 from July 2026, so if you earn more than that, your contribution (and therefore the refundable amount) is calculated on the ceiling, not your full salary. There is also a floor for very low incomes.
Suppose you are an employee whose standard monthly income is 3,000,000 KRW and you contributed for 36 months (3 years), with interest assumed at 3% per year:
Half of that base (5,130,000 KRW) is your employer's matching contribution, which the National Pension Act includes in the refund. A self-employed member with the same income and period pays the full 9.5% personally, so the refundable base is the same.
The lump-sum refund (ban-hwan il-shi-geum) is a one-time payment of your accumulated contributions plus interest, paid when you can no longer be a member — most commonly because you have permanently left Korea. It is different from a monthly old-age pension, which requires at least 10 years (120 months) of contributions and is paid from age 65. Many foreigners leave before reaching 10 years, so the lump-sum refund is the realistic outcome for them — provided they are treaty-eligible.
The process is straightforward once you know it:
If you plan to return to Korea and resume work, you may instead choose to keep your contribution record so your months count toward a future pension or are totalized under an agreement.
For residents of countries with a social-security or tax agreement with Korea, the lump-sum refund is generally exempt from Korean income tax. However, your home country may treat the refund as taxable income in the year you receive it. The treatment depends on the specific agreement, so confirm with both the NPS and your home tax authority before you spend it.
Your refund is built on your standard monthly income (the figure the NPS records for you), not necessarily your exact gross salary each month. The NPS sets your standard monthly income within bands and updates it periodically. Because of the ceiling (6,370,000 KRW until June 2026, 6,590,000 KRW from July 2026), high earners accumulate refundable contributions only up to that cap. If your salary changed over the years, your real refund reflects each period's recorded standard income — the calculator uses a single average figure for simplicity, so for a precise number, the NPS uses your full history.
This national pension lump sum foreigner 2026 tool is a planning estimate. The NPS applies its own statutory interest rate (which has historically been close to a few percent and is revised over time) to each monthly contribution from the month it was paid, not a single blended rate on an average balance. It also uses your exact standard-monthly-income history and any periods of exemption or arrears. Treat the calculator's output as a close ballpark for budgeting your move home, then request the official figure from the NPS for the exact amount.
If you are leaving Korea for good and your contributions are modest, the lump-sum refund puts cash in your pocket now. But if you have many years in (or plan to return, or your country has a totalization agreement that adds your Korean months to your home pension), keeping the record can be worth far more in lifetime pension value than a one-time refund. The lump sum is final — once taken, those months no longer count toward any future Korean or totalized pension. Weigh the immediate cash against the long-term entitlement before you decide.
The Korea pension lump-sum refund calculator for foreigners estimates your National Pension lump-sum refund by adding up your National Pension contributions (including any employer share) over the months you paid in, then adding simple interest at roughly 3% per year applied across the contribution period. It shows your total contributions, accrued interest, and the estimated refund in both KRW and USD.
A foreigner can generally claim a lump-sum refund (ban-hwan il-shi-geum) only if their home country has a social-security agreement with Korea that provides for the refund, or grants Koreans the same lump-sum treatment on a reciprocity basis, or for periods paid in on an E-8, E-9 or H-2 visa. Citizens of countries like the United States, Canada, Germany, France and several others are eligible. Nationals of countries with no refund agreement and no reciprocity usually cannot withdraw the lump sum on departure unless they paid in on one of those visas.
Your refund is your accumulated National Pension contributions plus interest. As an employee you contribute 4.75% of your standard monthly income in 2026 and your employer adds a matching 4.75%; both are included in the refund. The calculator on this page estimates the figure; for an exact amount the NPS computes statutory interest on each monthly contribution.
Yes. Under Article 77(2) of the National Pension Act the refund for a workplace member includes the employer's matching contribution, so an employee gets back the full 9.5% (4.75% own share plus 4.75% employer share) plus interest. Self-employed (regional) members pay the full 9.5% themselves, so their refund also reflects the whole amount.
For residents of countries that have a social-security or tax agreement with Korea, the lump-sum refund is generally exempt from Korean income tax. Your home country may still tax it. Always confirm the treatment under the specific agreement and with your own tax authority.
You generally apply for the lump-sum refund when you permanently leave Korea and lose eligibility to remain in the scheme. There is a statutory claim window, so do not wait indefinitely. You can often have it remitted to your overseas bank account or claimed at the airport before departure.
From January 2026 the National Pension contribution rate rose to 9.5% of standard monthly income. Employees split it 4.75% employee and 4.75% employer; self-employed regional members pay the full 9.5%. For employees the refund includes both shares plus interest.
No. It is a planning estimate. The National Pension Service applies its own statutory interest rate to each monthly contribution and accounts for your exact contribution history and standard monthly income, so the official figure may differ from this estimate.