Politics · South Korea · 3 hrs ago
South Korea considers health premiums on more types of income
South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service is considering premiums on more types of income that are currently left out of health insurance calculations.
The proposal covers some daily-wage earnings, investment income, private pensions and other income that is taxed separately from a person’s main income.
Under separate taxation, tax is generally withheld at source, and the income is not added to the person’s annual comprehensive income tax return.
Some such income already counts toward premiums, but other categories do not, including daily wages and certain smaller pension payments.
The service says including more income could make premium payments fairer, because some people with earnings can remain covered as dependants without paying premiums themselves.
It is reviewing a gradual expansion of the premium system to include separately taxed work and asset income, but no timetable or final decision is stated.
South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service is considering charging health premiums on more types of income that are currently excluded.
The proposal would gradually bring taxable income subject to separate taxation, including some work, financial and pension income, into the premium system.
The agency says the change would improve fairness by requiring people with income to contribute.
Some people who earn income now remain exempt from premiums, including certain day workers and recipients of private pensions.
The proposal could prompt debate over how the expanded charges affect those groups.
- Who
- South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service is considering the changes.
- What
- It is reviewing whether to charge health premiums on more income subject to separate taxation, including some work, financial and pension income.
- When
- The plan was reported on November 4, 2026.
- Where
- South Korea.
- Why
- The agency says bringing currently excluded income into the system would improve fairness and make contributions reflect ability to pay.
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- Agency
- National Health Insurance Service
- Report date
- November 4, 2026
- Private pensions
- Annual income of 15 million won or less is currently outside the premium system
- Other income
- Payments of 3 million won or less per transaction are currently outside the premium system
- Financial income
- Interest and dividends above 10 million won a year are among the limited categories already subject to premiums
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