Culture, everyday life & practical guides to Korea.
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Practical English-language guides to Korean customs, language and the decisions foreigners face when living in or visiting Korea.
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If you are a foreign resident facing cancer treatment in South Korea, the most important question is not your nationality. It is whether you are currently enrolled in Korea’s National Health Insurance Service (NHIS). An eligible foreign resident enrolled in NHIS generally receives the same National Health Insurance coverage as a Korean citizen. For a … Read more
If you are traveling to South Korea for plastic surgery, dental surgery, orthopedic treatment, or another planned procedure, there is one insurance distinction worth understanding before you pay a deposit: the malpractice insurance carried by a Korean clinic is not the same thing as insurance that pays your medical bills whenever a complication occurs. Registered … Read more
If you paid a Korean clinic, hospital, emergency room, or pharmacy yourself, the usual travel-insurance route is pay first, collect Korean medical documents, then claim reimbursement from your insurer. Korea does not decide whether your travel insurer must reimburse you. The Korean provider proves what happened and what you paid; your insurance policy determines whether … Read more
For most foreigners living in South Korea, international health insurance and Korea’s National Health Insurance are not interchangeable products. NHIS is Korea’s statutory public health insurance system. International health insurance is a private contract whose coverage, countries, deductibles, exclusions, and claims rules depend on the policy. The first question is therefore not, “Which insurance has … Read more
If you are pricing a nursing home in South Korea, the number that matters is usually not the facility’s full care rate. For a resident approved for Korea’s Long-Term Care Insurance (노인장기요양보험) facility benefit, the ordinary statutory copayment is generally 20% of the covered facility charge. Food, optional room upgrades, hairdressing, and certain other non-covered … Read more
Moving a dog or cat to South Korea does not normally mean paying for days of quarantine. If your pet arrives with the required microchip, government-issued health certificate and, when required, a qualifying rabies antibody test, Korean quarantine inspection can usually be completed on the day of arrival. The expensive branch begins when one of … Read more
A Korean franchise agreement should not be reviewed by asking whether the royalty percentage looks reasonable. The larger question is whether the registered disclosure document, the contract, the territory map and the exit mechanics tell the same economic story. For a prospective franchisee, three clauses deserve particular attention. The royalty clause determines how much of … Read more
There is no official nationwide “standard retainer” that private lawyers in South Korea must charge. Private legal fees are generally agreed between the lawyer and client, so the useful question is not whether a quote matches a supposed Korean average. It is whether the fee, scope, taxes, extra costs, and exit terms are clear enough … Read more
Private health insurance can protect you during the period before Korean National Health Insurance begins, but the first thing to verify is whether you actually have an NHIS waiting period. The widely repeated “six-month rule” applies to many non-employed foreign residents entering the regional insurance system. It does not apply in the same way to … Read more
International school tuition in Korea is only the largest line on the bill, not the whole bill. For the 2026–27 school year, major Seoul-area schools publish separate charges for applications, registration or entrance, deposits, buses, meals, examinations, learning support and other services. Some schools also divide tuition between Korean won and U.S. dollars. For a … Read more