South Korea's Korea Ministry of National Defense 2026 Korean enlisted pay table + Korean Tomorrow Savings Account (up to 550,000 KRW/mo sergeant government match). Compute Korean total take-home by Korean service length.
※ Korean Army / Marines 18, Korean Navy 20, Korean Air Force 21, Korean Social Service 21
| Korean Rank | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2026 Korean Gov Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Korean Private (이병) | 640,000 KRW | 750,000 | 750,000 | 150,000 / mo |
| Korean PFC (일병) | 800,000 KRW | 900,000 | 900,000 | 200,000 / mo |
| Korean Corporal (상병) | 1,000,000 KRW | 1,200,000 | 1,200,000 | 350,000 / mo |
| Korean Sergeant (병장) | 1,250,000 KRW | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | 550,000 / mo |
※ Korean 2026 enlisted base pay is Korean frozen vs 2025. With Korean Tomorrow Savings gov match, Korean Sergeants effectively earn ~2,050,000 KRW / month.
| Korean Army / Marines | 18 months | Pvt 2 + PFC 6 + Cpl 6 + Sgt 4 |
| Korean Navy | 20 months | Pvt 2 + PFC 6 + Cpl 6 + Sgt 6 |
| Korean Air Force | 21 months | Pvt 2 + PFC 6 + Cpl 6 + Sgt 7 |
| Korean Social Service | 21 months | Same Korean rank structure |
| Korean Sanggeun Reservist | 18 months | Same as Korean Army |
| Korean Tomorrow Savings | Korean deposit up to 400k/mo, 3.5–5% interest + Korean gov match 150k–550k. Korean tax-free at discharge. 18-mo Korean Army total: ~20.2M KRW. |
| Korean Self-Development Allowance | 10k–20k / mo for Korean books, language, or certifications (with receipts) |
| Korean Uniform / Food | Korean government bears cost (no cash) |
| Korean Special Duty Allowance | Korean overseas deployment / special tasks: Korean separate allowance + hazard pay |
| Korean Veteran / Disability Discharge | Korean veteran hospital care + Korean Ministry of Patriots & Veterans Affairs allowance |
Korean pay and allowances change under Korean MND notices and Korean MOEF budgets — always verify with the Korean official announcements.
This page summarises Korean MND and MOEF public announcements (as of April 2026) for reference only and has no legal effect. Korean actual pay depends on promotion timeline, Korean special duty (GP / GOP / overseas deployment), Korean food and border-duty add-ons, Korean Tomorrow Savings enrolment and deposit size, Korean bank rates (3.5–5%), and Korean tax changes. Korean Tomorrow Savings is operated by Korea MND with Korean participating banks; Korean conditions change per year. Verify Korean actual pay and Korean savings with your Korean unit finance officer or Korean bank. Applies to Korean enlisted personnel of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces only.
South Korea's Korea MND raised Korean enlisted pay sharply from 2023–2025 and in 2026 frozen the base pay at 2025 levels (Korean Sgt 1,500,000 KRW), to maintain a reasonable Korean gap with officers. Korean monthly base pay: Korean Pvt 750,000 KRW, Korean PFC 900,000 KRW, Korean Cpl 1,200,000 KRW, Korean Sgt 1,500,000 KRW. Korean Tomorrow Savings Account (up to 400,000 KRW monthly deposit) adds Korean government matching of Korean Pvt 150,000 / Korean PFC 200,000 / Korean Cpl 350,000 / Korean Sgt 550,000 KRW per month, so a Korean Sgt effectively earns ~2,050,000 KRW / month. Over a 18-month Korean Army service, a Korean soldier depositing 400k/mo can accumulate ~15M KRW (Korean 7.2M principal + Korean 6.44M gov match + ~1.5M Korean interest) tax-free at discharge. This page is based on Korean MND / MOEF public announcements as of April 2026.
After Korean three-year sharp hikes (2022–2025), the Korean gap with officers narrowed. Korea froze Korean base pay in 2026 to maintain Korean compensation balance and budget efficiency while continuing Korean Tomorrow Savings matching.
Korean MND-run enlisted-only savings: deposit up to 400,000 KRW monthly at Korean participating banks (IBK, NH, KB, Shinhan, Woori, Hana) with 3.5–5% preferential rate. Korean principal + interest tax-free, plus Korean gov matches up to 550k/mo (Sgt), all received at Korean discharge.
2.05M KRW combines Korean 1.5M KRW base pay + Korean 550k gov match. The Korean government match is received as a lump sum at Korean discharge — during Korean service the monthly cash is 1.5M KRW.
Longer Korean service means more Korean Sgt months, lifting the Korean base pay + match total. But the Korean longer duration has higher opportunity cost. Use the simulator's Korean service length to compare.
Korean enrolment isn't mandatory, but Korean 150k–550k gov match + Korean tax-free interest are only available to Korean participants. Skipping means Korean base pay only.
Korean officers follow the Korean civil-servant pay scale, with Korean Staff Sergeant 1st grade earning ~2M KRW base plus Korean merit, position, and overtime allowances. This page covers Korean enlisted (Pvt–Sgt) only — see Korean MND / MOEF pay tables for Korean officers.
South Korea's Korea MND 2026 Korean enlisted base pay is Korean Private 750,000 KRW, Korean PFC 900,000 KRW, Korean Corporal 1,200,000 KRW, and Korean Sergeant 1,500,000 KRW — Korean frozen from 2025 after three consecutive Korean years of sharp hikes (2022–2025). Korea maintains Korean Tomorrow Savings Account: Korean enlisted can deposit up to 400,000 KRW monthly at Korean participating banks (IBK, NH, KB, Shinhan, Woori, Hana) at Korean 3.5–5% preferential interest, with Korean government matching of 150,000 (Pvt), 200,000 (PFC), 350,000 (Cpl), 550,000 KRW (Sgt) each month. With the Korean match, a Korean Sergeant effectively earns ~2,050,000 KRW / month (1.5M base + 550k gov match). Over a Korean 18-month Army service, a Korean soldier depositing 400k/mo can accumulate about 15M KRW at Korean discharge — Korean 7.2M principal + Korean 6.44M gov match + Korean ~1.5M interest, all tax-free. Korean Navy (20 months), Korean Air Force (21 months), and Korean Social Service (21 months) with longer Korean Sergeant duration see larger totals. Enrolment is via the Korean unit finance officer or Korean MND-designated bank. Official references: Korea MND (mnd.go.kr), Korea MMA (mma.go.kr), and Korea Narasarang Portal (narasarang.or.kr).