Last employment day, retirement date and timing

In Korean payroll and severance calculations, the last day of employment and statutory retirement date are often one day apart. Timing can affect several results.

Checked 2026-09-23 · Estimates and reference information, not legal or tax advice.

Two dates

The last employment day is the final day in the employment relationship. For the severance average-wage period, the retirement date is generally the following day. The last day physically at work can be earlier because of weekends or annual leave.

The one-year severance threshold

The qualifying year is assessed using continuous employment. In the guide’s example, a person hired March 1, 2025 and employed through February 28, 2026 reaches the first anniversary when the retirement date is March 1, 2026.

Month-end versus next-month timing

Social insurance and payroll treatment of the final month can change when the employment relationship crosses a month boundary. The correct result depends on each program’s qualification and billing rules.

What else to compare

Review unused leave, bonuses, scheduled workdays, insurance and agreed handover dates. The date comparison tool shows day counts; it does not decide the best legal or financial date.

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Sources

These Korean-language sources were checked on 2026-09-23. Laws and rates may have changed; consult the originals before an important decision.