Guide for Exemption Application under the Agreement between Korea and Slovakia

How to be exempted from Slovak Pension Contributions (Social Security Contributions)

• If you are mandatorily covered by the Korean National Pension Scheme and detached to Slovakia, you can be exempt from Slovak pension contributions and social security contributions, provided that you get "a Certificate of Coverage under Social Security Agreement" from the National Pension Service of Korea and submit or show it to the relevant Slovak agency.
• 1. A Request for a Korean Certificate of Coverage
  • If you are an employee, your employer in Korea must request a Korean Certificate of Coverage.
  • If you are self-employed, you yourself must request a Korean Certificate of Coverage
• (1)Who requires a Korean Certificate of Coverage?
  • An employee who is sent to work in Slovakia within a certain period of time (5 years) by an employer in Korea
  • An employee who is sent to work in Slovakia by an employer in Korea within a certain period of time and the detached period is extended for a certain period (those periods can be extended based on mutual agreement between two countries)
  • A self-employed person in Korea who has participated in self-employment activities in Slovakia.
  • Others: a worker who is able to be exempted from Slovak pension contributions (social security contributions) under the Agreement
• (2) How do I request a Korean Certificate of Coverage?
  • 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, 6^th Floor, Kukmin-Yeonkum Building, 180, Giji-Ro, Deokjin-Gu, Jeonju-Si, JEONBUK STATE, 54870, Korea
    - Fax (063)900-3404
• (3) Required Documents
  • When you request the Certificate, you must submit an"Application for Certificate of Coverage under Social Security Agreement between Korea - Slovakia" and documents to confirm the employee's detachment such as a Detachment Order. Moreover, the certificates that the detached employee is covered by the industrial compensation insurance is required to be handed in as well.
  • "Application for Certificate of Coverage under Social Security Agreement" form is available on our website -> Social Security Agreement -> Forms. You can also get them by visiting NPS' regional office.
• 2. Presentation of the Certificate of Coverage to the Slovak Agency
  • An employer who is responsible for paying pension contributions is exempt from paying social security contributions for the period specified on a Korean Certificate of Coverage under Social Security Agreement by showing (or submitting at the request of the agency) the Certificate to the Social Insurance Agency.
    In case when a contributor has already paid contributions for the exempt period specified on a Certificate before showing (submitting) it, he/she is able to request a refund according to the internal procedures of Slovakia. However, there are 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 Korean National Pension Scheme

• If you are mandatorily covered by the Slovak social security system and temporarily work (or are self-employed) in Korea, you can be exempted from the Korean National Pension Scheme, provided that you get "a Certificate of Coverage under Social Security Agreement" from a Slovak agency and submit it to the Korean National Pension Service.
• 1. A Request for a Slovak Certificate of Coverage
  • If you are an employee, your employer in Slovakia must request a Slovak Certificate of Coverage.
  • If you are self-employed, you yourself must request a Slovak Certificate of Coverage
• (1) Who requires a Slovak Certificate of Coverage?
  • An employee who is sent to work in Korea within a certain period of time (5 years) by an employer in Slovakia
  • An employee who is sent to work in Korea by an employer in Slovakia within a certain period of time and the detached period is extended for a certain period (those periods can be extended based on mutual agreement between two countries)
  • A self-employed person in Slovakia who has participated in self-employment activities in Korea
  • Others: a worker who is able to be exempted from Korea National Pension contributions (social security contributions) under the Agreement
• (2) How to request a Slovak Certificate of Coverage?
  • You must request a Certificate of Coverage over the phone or by fax to the Slovak agency with the required documents according to its internal regulations.
• (3) Issuing Agency of Slovak Certificate of Coverage
  • Social Insurance Agency((www.socpoist.sk)

• 2. Submission of the Certificate of Coverage to the Korean National Pension Service
  • ① The following must be submitted by your employer if you are an employee or yourself if you are self-employed; an "application of exemption" as well as an original copy of "Slovak Certificate of Coverage under Social Security Agreement", 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, therefore, a facsimile will not be accepted).
  • ② If you submit a "Slovak Certificate of Coverage under Social Security Agreement", you are exempt from Coverage under the Korean National Pension Scheme 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 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 the exemption within the required period.
  • ※ Information here on our website is a general guide. You can get more information about the Exemption of Coverage from the International Center of the NPS or any regional office of the NPS.