Whether it's a part-time gig or full employment, before working in Korea there's one thing you must always check. What is it?

Every foreign resident's visa carries a status code that spells out exactly which activities are permitted, and work is one of the most tightly restricted categories. A student visa, for example, does not automatically allow employment; it usually requires a separate part-time work permit with hour limits, while other visa types may bar work entirely or restrict it to a specific employer or job type. Checking this before accepting any job, paid or informal, is the single most important step.

Reading a boss's face or knowing the cafeteria menu has no bearing on legal eligibility to work, and no amount of workplace goodwill protects someone from the consequences of working outside their permitted status.

Violating these rules can lead to fines, forced departure, or a ban on re-entry, and because enforcement checks employers too, a well-meaning boss can also get in trouble for hiring someone outside their permitted activity.