la legislation fixant le regime des assurances sociales applicables:
This agreement shall apply to any person is or who has been subject to the legislation of either Korea or France, and to the dependents and survivors of such a person, irrespective of their nationality. Therefore, any person such as a national of the contracting country, a stateless person, a refugee or a national of a third country who is or has been subject to the legislation of either contracting country shall be covered by this agreement with his/her dependents and survivors.
※ For more information, you may refer to the section entitled Text of Agreement
※ For more information, you may refer to the section entitled Agreement or Guide for Exemption Application
| Type | Work Status | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Employee | Working in France | |
| you are employed and working in France | France | |
| you are employed in Korea and sent to work in France for less than 3 years (agreement on a 3-year extension is available) | Korea | |
| you are employed in Korea and sent to work in France for more than 3 years without an extension agreement | France | |
| Working in Korea | ||
| you are employed and working in Korea | Korea | |
| you are employed in France and sent to work in Korea for less than 3 years (agreement on a 3-year extension is available) | France | |
| you are employed in France and sent to work in Korea for more than 3 years without an extension agreement | Korea | |
| Self-employed | Self-employed in France | Korea |
| Self-employed in Korea | France |
Even though your periods of coverage in one country are not sufficient to qualify for pension benefits, you may be eligible for benefits after this agreement has entered into force. This is possible due to totalization of coverage in both countries.
Korean National Pension Benefits under the Social Security Agreement
If you have a period of more than 12 months insured in Korea but do not have enough periods of coverage (e.g., 20 years for Full Old-age pension) to qualify for pension benefits under the Korean pension system, you may be able to qualify for Korean benefits by totalizing periods of coverage under the Korean pension system and the French pension system. However, those periods creditable under the French pension system, must not coincide with the periods under the legislation of Korea.
Your benefit is calculated by dividing the Korean periods of coverage by the total periods of coverage and then multiplying by the theoretical benefit. The theoretical benefit is calculated based on the totalized periods in both countries.
French Pension Benefits under the Social Security Agreement
If you have a period of more than 12 months insured in France but do not have enough periods of coverage (e.g., 20 years for Full Old-age pension) to qualify for pension benefits under the French pension system, you may be able to qualify for French benefits by totalizing periods of coverage under the Korean pension system and the French pension system. However, those periods creditable under the Korean pension scheme, must not coincide with the periods under the legislation of France.
Your benefit is calculated by dividing the French periods of coverage by the total periods of coverage and then multiplying by the theoretical benefit. The theoretical benefit is calculated based on the totalized periods in both countries.
If you do not have enough periods of coverage to qualify for France pension benefits under the France Pension Plan(FPP), you may be able to qualify for France pension benefits by totalizing periods of coverage under the Korean pension system and the France Pension Plan(FPP). However, those periods creditable under the Korean pension scheme, must not coincide with the periods the France Pension Plan(FPP).
For more information, you may refer to the section entitled Agreement or Guide for Exemption Application
As regards Korea,
As regards France,
For general employees or self-employed persons, an agency which issues certificate of coverage
For detached workers, an agency which issues a certificate of coverage,
An agency which receives applications for extension of detached period.
If you are subject to the applicable Korean legislation of the Social Security Agreement and temporarily reside in France, you must get "a Certificate of Coverage under the Social Security Agreement" from the National Pension Service of Korea along with a certificate of coverage of the industrial accident compensation insurance (public insurance and private insurance) and health insurance (private insurance) and submit (show) it to a French Agency in order to be exempt from the French social insurance contributions.
A request for a Korean Certificate of Coverage
If you are an employee, your employer of workplace in Korea 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 under the Social Security Agreement?
How to request a Korean Certificate of Coverage
The employer in Korea or self-employed person must request a Korean Certificate of Coverage by
1) visiting the National Pension Service of Korea with the required documents; or
2) sending the required documents to the National Pension Service of Korea by mail or fax.
Required Documents
If you are covered by the public industrial accident compensation insurance, you must submit documents which confirm the coverage.
"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.
Showing the Certificate of Coverage to the French Agency
In France, since an employer or a self-employed person is normally responsible for reporting and paying social insurance contributions, you don't have to pay contributions for the periods of coverage specified on the Korean Certificate of Coverage under the Social Security Agreement. However, when the French agency requests the evidence for the exemption, you have to show that Certificate of Coverage. (Note: It is variable depending on the French regulations)
※ You must keep in mind that you can be exempt from the French social insurance system, when you verify your coverage of industrial accident compensation and health insurance. Therefore, you must show certificates of coverage of the private industrial accident compensation insurance and health insurance along with a "Certificate of Coverage under the Social Security Agreement"
⇒ However, in the case that you are covered by the public industrial accident compensation insurance(marked as "Certificate of Coverage under the Social Security Agreement"), you don't need to show a certificate of industrial accident compensation insurance to the French agency.
If you or your employer has already paid contributions for the previous exemption period, for a certain period he/she is able to request a refund according to the French agency's 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.
If you are mandatorily covered by the French social insurance system and temporarily reside in Korea you can be exempt from coverage under the Korean National Pension, if you get a Certificate of Coverage under the Social Security Agreement from the French Agency and submit it to the Korean National Pension Service. Also, you can be exempt from coverage under the Industrial accident compensation insurance and/or health insurance according to each agency's regulations and procedures.
A request for a French Certificate of Coverage
If you are an employee, your employer in France must request a French Certificate of Coverage.
If you are self-employed, you yourself must request a French Certificate of Coverage.
Who requires a Korean Certificate of Coverage under the Social Security Agreement?
How to request a French Certificate of Coverage
After contacting the French Agency by phone or fax, you must request a certificate with the required documents according to the agency's procedures.
Issuing Agency of the French Certificate of Coverage
For general employees or self-employed persons, an agency which issues a certificate of coverage
For detached workers, an agency which issues a certificate of coverage,
Submission of the Certificate of Coverage to the Korean National Pension Service
If you are a worker, an employer in Korea (if self-employed, you yourself) must submit an " application of exemption from national pension" as well as an original copy of the "French 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 French Certificate will not be accepted)
If you submit a French Certificate of Coverage, you are exempt from coverage under the Korean National Pension(Industrial accident compensation insurance and health insurance) for the period shown on the Certificate of Coverage(Note: Exemption from Industrial accident compensation insurance and/or health insurance is variable according to each agency's regulations and procedures). If you have already paid contributions before you submit the Certificate of Coverage, 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 a refund of an over-collected amount is valid only up to 5 years from the day following the processing of a qualification change, therefore, we recommend that you request exemption within the required period.(Industrial accident compensation insurance and health insurance is variable according to each agency's regulations and procedures)
※ 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.
If you have periods of coverage both in Korea and France but don't have enough periods of coverage under the Korean pension system to qualify for Korean pension benefits, you may be able to qualify for Korean benefits by submitting the following required documents as long as you meet the requirements for entitlement based on totalization of periods under both the Korean pension system and French pension system.
Requirements for entitlement classified by the types, eligible persons, the method of filling out the forms and required documents are introduced respectively under each benefits link above.
A claimant must submit "Application for Korean Benefits under the Korea-France Social Security Agreement" to the NPS and to the France Agency.
At the time of applying for benefits by mail, you are recommended to be fully aware of the requirements for the Benefit Application by asking NPS by phone. In this way, you will ensure the proper preparation of the documents and avoid any unnecessary delays in payments. Otherwise, you might waste time in correcting errors or omissions on the Application.
You can download the form of "Application for Korean Benefits under the Korea-France Social Security Agreement"from our website or get it at the NPS's regional office, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea Abroad, or a France agency.
Eligible Persons
If you meet the following conditions for the benefits by totalizing both countries' periods of coverage, you may be able to apply for the Korean Old-age pension under the Social Security Agreement. However, to be eligible to have your Korean periods counted, you must have completed at least 12 months.
| Type | Totalized period of Coverage | Age of the first benefit payment | Other Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Old-age Pension | 20 years or more | age of 60 (55) | less than 65, not engaged in income-earning activities |
| Reduced Old-age Pension | from 10 years to less than 20 years | age of 60 (56) | less than 65, not engaged in income-earning activities |
| Active Old-age Pension | 10 years or more | age from 60 to 65 (55-60) | engaged in income-earning activities |
| Early Old-age Pension | 10 years | age of 55 | less than 65, not engaged in income-earning activities |
| Special Old-age Pension | from 5 years to less than 10 years | age of 60 (55) | more than certain years of age |
Filling out the Application Form and Required Documents
If you want to apply for an Old-age pension, you must fill out Part A (General information), Part B (Application for an Old-age Pension), Part I (To be signed by the applicant) on the "Application for Korean Benefits under the Korea-France Social Security Agreement" and submit it with the following required documents.
A copy of your Korean bank account information
※ If you want overseas remittance, you must fill out the Overseas Remittance section Part A-7 (Method of Payment of Benefit) and submit a copy of your foreign bank account information.
In the case of Early Old-age Pension
If you have any dependents supported by you,
※ If you have a certificate of disability registration falling under the 1st or 2nd degree based on the Korean Welfare of Disabled Persons Act prior to the date on which reasons of payment occur (e.g., the date when an Old-age pensioner reaches pensionable age, when a Disability pensioner has finished his/her medical treatment or 2 years have passed since the first medical examination, or in the case of Survivor Pension, when the person who is/was a contributor dies) it is considered as a document of verification for disability.
Eligibility
If you lived with your ex-spouse for 5 years or more while your spouse was paying contributions, and your spouse is a beneficiary of Old-age Pension under the social security agreement, you may apply for a divided pension if you meet the following conditions for the benefits. However, to be eligible for the benefits, you must have completed at least 12 months of coverage in Korea.
Filling out the Application Form and Required Documents
If you want to apply for a Divided Pension, you must fill out Part A (General information), Part C (Application for a Divided Pension), or Part I (To be signed by the applicant) on the "Application for Korean Benefits under the Korea-France Social Security Agreement"and submit it with the following required documents.
A copy of the your Korean bank account information
※ If you want overseas remittance, you must fill out the Overseas Remittance section Part G (Method of Payment of Benefit) and submit a copy of your foreign bank account information.
Eligible Persons
If you have periods of coverage in Korea and come to be disabled while you are covered under the German Pension System, you may apply for the Korean Disability Pension under the Social Security Agreement.
Filling out the Application Form and Required Documents
If you want to apply for a Disability Pension, you must fill out Part A (General information), Part D (Application for a Disability Pension), Part H (To be signed by the applicant) on the"Application for Korean Benefits under the Korea-France Social Security Agreement" and submit it with the following required documents.
A copy of your Korean bank account information
※ If you want overseas remittance, you must fill out Overseas Remittance section Part A-7 (Method of Payment of Benefit) and submit a copy of your foreign bank account information.
Documents to verify your disability history
If the accident occurred while you were working
If you receive compensation from a person who caused you harm, you need the related documents
If you have any dependents supported by you,
Eligible Persons
A surviving dependent of the person who meets the following conditions can apply for a Survivor pension. However, to be eligible for the benefits, he/she must have completed at least 12 months of coverage in Korea
Filling out the Application Form and Required Documents
If a person wants to apply for an Survivor Pension, he/she must fill out Part A (General information), Part E (Application for a Survivor Pension), Part H (To be signed by the applicant) on theApplication for Korean Benefits under the Korea-France Social Security Agreement and submit it with the following required documents.
A copy of your Korean bank account information
※ If you want overseas remittance, you must fill out Overseas Remittance section Part G (Method of Payment of Benefit) and submit a copy of your foreign bank account information.
Documents to confirm the beneficiary's death
Documents to show the result of the first medical examination
If the accident occurred while working
If you receive compensation from a person who caused you harm, you need the related documents.
Eligible Persons
If you are a national of France and meet the following conditions, you may apply for a Lump-sum refund. However, once you have received the Lump-sum refund, your concerned insured periods are not totalized for the Korean National Pension or German Pension. Therefore, it may be advantageous for you to apply for a Pension instead of the Lump-sum refund.
Filling out the Application Form and Required Documents
If you wants to apply for a Lump-sum refund, you must fill out Part A (General Information), Part F (Application for a Lump-sum refund), and Part I (To be signed by the applicant) on theApplication for Korean Benefits under the Korea-France Social Security Agreement and submit it with the following required documents.
A copy of your Korean bank account information
※ If you want overseas remittance, you must fill out the Overseas Remittance section Part G (Method of Payment of Benefit) and submit a certificate of your foreign bank account information.
When you apply because you are leaving Korea
When a survivor applies because of death
※ The information here on our website is a general guide. You can get more information about exemption of Coverage at the International Relations Team or any regional office of the NPS.
Eligible Persons
If you have periods of coverage in France for 12 months or more and meet the following conditions by totalizing the periods of coverage under the Korean and French pension systems, you are able to apply for the French benefits.
※ You may get more information about qualifying conditions for French pension benefits at the relevant agency in France.
Filling out the and Submitting the Application Form
A claimant may apply for the French pension benefits by referring to the Korean National Pension Service or through the French agencies below.
※ According to the occupation or the region, relevant pension agencies can be variable.
※ information here on our website is a general guide. You can get more information at the Hungarian agency.