Guide to Handling Unfair Dismissal and Unpaid Wages
A guide compiling wage-arrears complaints (jinjeong)/criminal complaints, relief applications for unfair dismissal, free legal aid, and counseling contacts, based on the Ministry of Employment and Labor's Labor Portal and the National Labor Relations Commission.
Direct answer
A guide compiling wage-arrears complaints (jinjeong)/criminal complaints, relief applications for unfair dismissal, free legal aid, and counseling contacts, based on the Ministry of Employment and Labor's Labor Portal and the National Labor Relations Commission.
- How far this is checked
- Partly verified — confirm the details with the official sources below before you act.
Sources
Task
Labor
Visa
All visas
Program
General
Region
Nationwide
Direct AI answers: disabled. The conclusion can change depending on worker status, workplace size, type of contract, residence status, and the state of your evidence, so confirmation from a labor office, the labor relations commission, or an expert is required.
First, distinguish your situation
| Problem | Responsible channel | Key deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Not receiving wages, severance pay, or allowances | Ministry of Employment and Labor's Labor Portal, or the regional employment and labor office with jurisdiction over the workplace's location | Check the deadlines for the complaint (jinjeong)/criminal complaint and for substitute payment (daejigeupgeum) requirements |
| Subjected to dismissal, leave of absence, suspension, transfer, pay cut, or other punishment without just cause | The regional labor relations commission with jurisdiction over the workplace's location | Within 3 months from the day the unfair dismissal, etc. occurred |
| Need a civil lawsuit or provisional seizure for unpaid wages | The Korea Legal Aid Corporation (대한법률구조공단) and other legal aid channels | Check the statute of limitations and procedures for each case |
Unpaid wages and unfair dismissal follow different procedures. If both occurred at the same time, you must handle unpaid wages through the Labor Portal/labor office channel and the unfair dismissal relief through the regional labor relations commission channel, separately.
Unpaid wages: What can you do?
The Ministry of Employment and Labor's Labor Portal explains that a worker who has not received wages may file a complaint (jinjeong), demanding that the unpaid wages be paid, or a criminal complaint (goso), demanding that the employer be punished for violating the Labor Standards Act.
There are two ways to apply.
- File a
wage-arrears complaint (jinjeong)online through the Labor Portal - Visit the customer support office of the regional employment and labor office with jurisdiction over the workplace's location for counseling, a complaint (jinjeong), or a criminal complaint (goso)
The Labor Portal path is Civil Petition Application/Inquiry > Civil Petition Application > Labor Standards Field Civil Petition Application > Complaint Form (wage arrears and other labor standards matters). The is also shown as a frequently sought petition on the Labor Portal main page.
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