When starting a job in Korea, it's a red flag if the boss says 'let's do it later.' What document must be exchanged in writing, stating pay, hours, and holidays?

Under Korea's Labor Standards Act, an employer is legally required to provide a written employment contract stating pay, working hours, holidays, and leave terms before or at the start of employment, and failing to do so is itself a punishable violation. This document matters practically because it becomes your primary evidence if a dispute later arises over unpaid wages, unclear hours, or denied leave.

A certificate of employment merely confirms that you work somewhere, and a resignation letter is used when leaving a job — neither substitutes for the upfront written agreement establishing your actual pay and working terms.

Because verbal promises are notoriously hard to prove later, workers are generally advised to read the contract's details carefully and keep their own signed copy the moment they receive it, rather than trusting a boss's assurance that a formal document will 'come later.'