How do you get a tax ID and use Hometax in South Korea in 2026?

Visit Hometax through the National Tax Service entry linked from Gov.kr. First login needs the certificate or mobile identity setup from set up Gov.kr and digital ID. English menus cover certificate registration, income inquiry, and some filing aids, but downloaded letters may still be Korean only.

Payroll employees rely on year-end settlement conducted by HR each February window. You upload insurance, pension, credit card, and donation credits through the employer portal or Hometax simple filing screens when HR instructs. Check that wage reports match your contract; mismatches between immigration workplace permission and tax wage place appear in cross-ministry audits.

Banks record the same alien number for interest reporting. National Pension and health insurance contributions should align with annual income tax totals; large gaps trigger questions. Freelancers and landlords register business places separately and may need VAT reporting beyond employee settlement.

Departure filers cancel resident status, close Hometax obligations, and sometimes claim refunds or report global assets depending on visa history. Do not abandon accounts without a departure tax check; unpaid bills follow the number if you return on a new card.

Global income reporting rules can apply to long-term residents even when salary was earned abroad in the final year. Read the NTS foreign-worker FAQ before signing settlement boxes you do not understand.

Call NTS English helplines listed on nts.go.kr for interpretation-limited guidance, and bring a Korean-speaking colleague for nuanced deduction disputes. Keep PDF confirmations of each Hometax submission; employers occasionally amend wage reports months later, and you need your copy to challenge duplicates.