Coronavirus Update for Employers in South Korea

Multinational employers with employees in South Korea should know that South Korean public health insurance covers health care expenses related to COVID-19. Private insurance covers any additional health care costs employees might incur. Also, claims processing happens the same way for personal and group insurance for both in-patient and out-patient care.

Health care

• The government is putting a great effort to prevent more coronavirus confirmed patients by designating screening clinics where they can receive coronavirus tests, and carry out anti epidemic sterilization where the confirmed coronavirus patient has visited.
• If a person has the coronavirus they are transported to COVID-19 designated hospitals and get treated in an isolations area.
• The government is doing contact tracing.

Sick leave

• Most companies in Korea have a sick leave policy.
• Some companies (e.g. hotels, airlines) use unpaid leave because sales and employee working hours decreased sharply in the wake of COVID-19

Other helpful resources

• If an employee is in Korea and believes they have symptoms of COVID-19, they need to call the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) treatment hotline at 1339 or 1345 (English) to be directed to an appropriate facility.
• The Korea Center for Disease Control
• Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare

 

This coronavirus update for employers in South Korea is provided by EB Incorporation, Asinta’s Partner in South Korea.