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Main Contents of the Social Security Agreement Between Korea and Uzbekistan

Agreement Administrative Arrangement
History of the Agreement with Uzbekistan
  • Feb. 2005 : sent a Korean proposal to Uzbekistan
  • Mar. 2005 : first round of Negotiation Meetings for the Agreement in Uzbekistan
  • May. 2005 : signed the Agreement on Social Security
  • Jan. 2006 : received written notification from Uzbekistan that Uzbekistan has complied with all requirements for entry into force of this Agreement
  • Feb. 2006 : gave written notification to Uzbekistan that Korea has complied with all requirements for entry into force of this Agreement
  • Apr. 2006 : Negotiation Meetings for the Administrative Arrangement of the Agreement
  • May. 2006 : Social Security Agreement between Korea and Uzbekistan entered into force
  • Sep. 2006 : signed the Administrative Arrangement for the Agreement
Applicable Legislation

  • as regards Korea

    • the National Pension Act

  • as regards Uzbekistan,

    • the Law "About State Pension Security of Citizens"
    • the Law "About Foreign Investments"
Personal Scope of this Agreement

This Agreement shall apply to Korean nationals or Chinese nationals who are or who have been subject to the legislation of either Korea or Uzbekistan.

※ For more information, you may refer to the section Text of Agreement

Exemption from Dual Coverage
  • According to the territorial principle, an employee is subject to the legislation of a contracting country in which he/she is employed and a self-employed person is subject to the legislation of the contracting country in which the person works.
  • A national of one contracting country is exempt from coverage under the pension system of the other contracting country for less than 5 years, if he/she is covered under the pension scheme of his/her home country.
  • Especially, Uzbekistan workers working in Korea under the Korean Industrial Training System or the Employment Permit System are exempt from coverage of the National Pension Scheme for 60 months without any other application procedure for it.

※ For more information, you may refer to the section Agreement or Guide for Exemption Application

Benefits under this Agreement
  • Since Agreement on Social Security Between Korea and Uzbekistan is Contributions-only Agreement, there is no provision of Totalization of Periods of Coverage for the entitlement to benefit.
  • Therefore, there is no pension benefits under the Agreement, whether the payment is granted depends on the each country's legislation respectively.
  • And, a Korean Lump-sum refund is not paid to the nationals of Uzbekistan

※ For more information, you may refer to the section Agreement

Agencies of this Convention

  • As regards Korea,

    • National Pension Service (NPS)

  • As regards the Uzbekistan,

    • Off-budget Pension Fund

Guide for Exemption Application

How to be Exempt from Uzbekistan Pension Contributions

If you are mandatorily covered by the Korean National Pension Scheme, and you would like to be exempt from paying contributions to pension system of Uzbekistan, you must get "a Certificate of Coverage under Social Security Agreement" from the National Pension Service of Korea and submit it to the Uzbekistan Agency.

  1. A request for a Korean Certificate of Coverage

    If you are an employee, your employer must request a Korean Certificate of Coverage.

    If you are self-employed, you yourself must request a Korean Certificate of Coverage.

    • Who requires a Korean Certificate of Coverage?

      • A Korean employee who works in Uzbekistan within a certain period (less than 5 years)
      • A Korean self-employed who works in Uzbekistan within a certain period (less than 5 years)

    • How to request a Korean Certificate of Coverage under the Social Security Agreement?

      The employer or self-employed person must request a Korean Certificate of Coverage by visiting the National Pension Service of Korea with the required documents or sending the required documents to the National Pension Service of Korea by mail or fax.

      • National Pension Service, Center for International Affairs, 6th Floor, Kukmin-Yeonkum Building, 180, Giji-ro, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk-do, 54870, Korea
      • Fax (063)900-3404

    • Required Documents

      • "Application for Certificate of Coverage under Social Security Agreement"
      • Documents to confirm the employee's detachment such as a Detachment Order.

      ※ "Application for Certificate of Coverage under Social Security Agreement" is available on our website → Social Security Agreement → Forms or you can get them by visiting NPS's regional office and by copying the form in the manual brochure at the NPS.

  2. Submission of the Certificate of Coverage to Uzbekistan Agency

    In Uzbekistan, since an employer or a self-employed person is normally responsible for reporting and paying pension insurance contributions, you don't have to pay contributions for the period of coverage specified on the Korean Certificate of Coverage under the Social Security Agreement. However, when the Uzbekistan agency requests the evidence for the exemption, you have to show that Certificate of Coverage.

    If a contributor has already paid contributions for the previous exemption period, within a certain period, he/she is able to request a refund according to the interior procedure. However, in some cases, there could be limitations on the period regarding retroactive exemptions or refunds, so we recommend that you request the exemption allowing a suitable amount of time.

How to be Exempt from Pension Contributions

If you are mandatorily covered by the Uzbekistan pension system, and you would like to be exempt from coverage under the Korean National Pension Scheme, you must get a Certificate of Coverage under the Agreement from the authorized Agency in Uzbekistan and submit it to the National Pension Service.
However, Uzbekistan workers working in Korea under the Korean Industrial Training System or the Employment Permit System are exempt from the coverage of National Pension Scheme without any other application procedure such as submitting a certificate for it.

  1. A request for a Certificate of Coverage from Uzbekistan

    If you are an employee, your employer must request a Certificate of Coverage from an Uzbekistan Agency If you are self-employed, you must request a Certificate of Coverage by yourself.

    • Who requires a Uzbekistan Certificate of Coverage?

      • An Uzbekistan employee who works in Korea within a certain period (less than 5 years)
      • An Uzbekistan self-employed who works in Korea within a certain period (less than 5 years)

    • How to request a Uzbekistan Certificate of Coverage under the Social Security Agreement?

      After contacting the Uzbekistan Agency by phone or fax, you must request a certificate with the required documents according to the agency's procedures.

    • Issuing Agency of the Uzbekistan Certificate of Coverage

      • Off-budget Pension Fund

  2. Submission of the Certificate of Coverage to the National Pension Service of Korea

    If you are a worker, an employer in Korea (if self-employed, you yourself) must submit an "application of exemption" as well as an original copy of the "Uzbekistan Certificate of Coverage", and a copy of your identification to the International Center or the regional office by visiting or by sending a registered letter. (Because an original copy must be submitted, a facsimile or a copy of the Certificate will not be accepted.)

    If you submit a Uzbekistan Certificate of Coverage of the pension scheme, you are exempt from Korean contributions for the period shown on the same Certificate. If you have already paid contributions before you submit your certificate, the amount of the contributions already paid can be transferred to your due contributions or refunded. However, in accordance with the regulations of the National Pension Scheme, the right to request for a refund of over-collected amount becomes valid only for up to 5 years from the day following the processing of a qualification change, therefore, we recommend that you request the exemption within the required period.

※ Information here on our website is a general guide. You can get more information at the International Center of the NPS or any regional office of NPS.