Around the start of the second semester, a child will often raise the idea of taking a part-time job. What makes it hard for parents to answer is not being for or against it — it is not knowing the standards. Youth part-time work falls under the same labour statute as adult work, but a separate set of rules layers on top of it for working hours, night work, and paperwork. What parents need is not a lecture to give, but these provisions.

How old must a child be to work?

The threshold is age 15. The Labour Standards Act prohibits employing anyone under 15 as a worker.

There is one exception. A child aged 13 or older but under 15 may work only with an employment permit issued by the Minister of Employment and Labour. The application goes to the district labour office after the school principal and a person with parental authority have signed it. If a middle-school child says "my friend works," either that friend holds a permit or the employer is breaking the law.

Separately from age, there are industries no one under 18 may work in at all. Hazardous and dangerous businesses fall here, and entertainment venues are blocked by a separate youth protection statute.

Two documents that must be kept at the workplace

Article 66 of the Labour Standards Act requires an employer using anyone under 18 to keep on the premises a family relation certificate proving the worker's age and a written consent from a person with parental authority or a guardian.

In other words, the parental consent form is not a formality — it is a document the law requires on file. Failing to meet this obligation exposes the employer to an administrative fine of up to 5 million won.

For a parent, this provision is a useful signal. A workplace that does not ask for the consent form and the certificate is unlikely to be following the rest of the rules either.

A parent cannot sign the employment contract for the child

Article 67 states plainly that a person with parental authority or a guardian may not conclude an employment contract on a minor's behalf. The party to the contract is the child. The parent's role is to give consent and review the terms together — not to sign in the child's place.

There is also this: when contracting with someone under 18, the employer must state the working conditions in writing and hand over a copy — wages, hours, holidays. If anyone says "we'll do the paperwork later," the problem has already started.

That said, if the contract is judged to be disadvantageous to the child, a person with parental authority or the Minister of Employment and Labour may terminate it. That is where a parent's remaining leverage sits.

Seven hours a day, 35 hours a week

For workers aged 15 or older but under 18, working hours may not exceed 7 hours a day and 35 hours a week (Article 69). That is shorter than the adult standard of 8 and 40.

Overtime is capped as well. With the agreement of the parties, hours may be extended by only 1 hour a day and 5 hours a week. Which means 40 hours a week is the ceiling under any circumstances.

10 p.m. to 6 a.m. is prohibited in principle

Article 70 prohibits employing anyone under 18 between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., and on holidays.

An exception is recognised only when both conditions are met: the young worker's own consent, and authorisation from the head of the competent district labour office. The employer must file the authorisation application and have a record of consultation with the workers' representative.

So "just until 11 p.m." is, in most cases, unlawful. Violating the limits on working hours or night and holiday work carries up to two years' imprisonment or a fine of up to 20 million won (Article 110).

Wages — a younger worker gets the same minimum

The minimum wage is not reduced for young workers. The 2026 minimum wage is 10,320 won per hour as officially notified, and it applies regardless of age. The practice of cutting pay during a probationary period also cannot be applied where the contract runs for less than one year.

The weekly holiday allowance works the same way. If contracted hours are 15 or more per week and the worker attends on all scheduled days, a paid weekly holiday accrues. Three days a week at five hours a day is 15 hours, so it qualifies.

The method of payment is regulated too. Article 68 provides that a minor may claim wages independently. Sending wages to a parent's bank account goes against that principle; they should be received in an account in the child's own name.

Where this collides with school

What actually causes trouble is not the statute but the timetable. Once night shifts pile up, lateness and early departures increase, and those entries stay on the school record. How each type of absence is recorded is covered in how attendance appears on the school record.

Sometimes "I want to earn money" carries an unspoken wish to leave school. In that case it is better to start from the procedure. Reading up on the school dropout deliberation period and the requirements for the high school equivalency exam changes the direction of the conversation. If tuition costs are the reason, start by comparing the two kinds of student loans.

A parent's checklist, in order

• ① Is the child 15 or older? (ages 13–14 require an employment permit)
• ② Does the employer ask for the family relation certificate and parental consent form?
• ③ Was a written employment contract handed over — signed by the child personally?
• ④ Do the hours stay within 7 a day and 35 a week (40 including overtime)?
• ⑤ Is any work after 10 p.m. included in the schedule?
• ⑥ Is the hourly rate 10,320 won or more, and is the weekly holiday allowance calculated at 15+ hours?
• ⑦ If something goes wrong: Ministry of Employment and Labour counselling (1350) or the Youth Labour Rights Centre (1644-3119)

This article summarises the Labour Standards Act Articles 64, 66–70 and 110, the Ministry of Employment and Labour's notification of the 2026 minimum wage, and the Korea Law Information Centre's guidance on young workers, as confirmed in August 2026. Whether a specific workplace is in violation, and the remedies available, are matters for the competent district labour office, and this article is not a substitute for legal advice.