Main Contents of the Social Security Agreement Between Korea and Bulgaria
History of the Agreement with Bulgaria
- Jan. 2006 : Concurrence in carrying forward an Agreement on Social Security between the Foreign Ministries of both countries
- May. 2007 : The first working-level meeting of the Agreement in Bulgaria
- Oct. 2008 : The Agreement on Social Security signed in Bulgaria
- Dec. 2008 : The first Administrative Arrangement of the Agreement held in Bulgaria
- Oct. 2009 : The Administrative Arrangement of the Agreement signed in Korea
- Nov. 2009 : The meeting for the implementation of the Agreement held in Bulgaria
- Feb. 2010 : The meeting for the implementation of the Agreement held in Korea
- Mar. 2010 : The Social Security Agreement between Korea and Bulgaria entered into force
Applicable Legislation
| Korea | Bulgaria |
|---|---|
| [Coverage] (i) The National Pension Act (ii) The Employment Insurance Act (iii) The Act on Collection of Premiums for Employment and for Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Benefit (i) the National Pension Act |
[Coverage] (i) The legislation on state social insurance - pensions for periods of insurance and age and invalidity pensions because of general illness - survivors' pensions form any of the aforesaid kinds (ii)The legislation on state social insurance - unemployment benefits [Benefit] The legislation on state social insurance - pensions for periods of insurance and age and invalidity pensions because of general illness - survivors' pensions form any of the aforesaid kinds |
Personal Scope of this Agreement
- This Agreement shall apply to any person who is or who has been subject to the social security legislation of either contracting country and to the dependents and survivors of that person.
- ※ For more information, you may refer to the section Agreement
Exemption from Dual Coverage
- ① In general, an employee is subject to the legislation of a contracting country in which he/she is employed.
- ② In general, a self-employed person is subject to the legislation of the country where he/she resides.
- ③ A detached worker is exempt from being subject to the legislation of the country which he/she is sent to for less than 5 years if he/she is covered under the legislation of his/her home country (In the case that agencies of both contracting countries agree on, an exemption period may be extended).
- ※ For more information, you may refer to the section Agreement or Guide for Exemption Application
[ Applicable legislation under the Agreement ]
| Type | Work Status | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Employee | You are working in Bulgaria | |
| -for an employer in Bulgaria who hired you | Bulgaria | |
| - for an employer in Korea who sent you to work in Bulgaria for less than 3 years (those periods can be extended for another 2 years based on mutual agreement between two countries) | Korea | |
| - for an employer in Korea who sent you to work in Bulgaria for more than 3 years without extension of detached period | Bulgaria | |
| You are working in Korea | ||
| - for an employer in Korea who hired you | Korea | |
| - for an employer in Bulgaria who sent you to work in Korea for less than 3 years (those periods can be extended for another 2 years based on mutual agreement between two countries) | Bulgaria | |
| - for an employer in Bulgaria who sent you to work in Korea for more than 3 years without extension of detached period | Korea | |
| Self-employed | You are self-employed in Bulgaria : | Bulgaria |
| You are self-employed in Korea : | Korea | |
| You are self-employed in both countries | Ordinary residence | |
| You are self-employed in one country and employed in the other country |
Benefits under this Agreement
- 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 totaling the coverage of both countries.
- ① Korean National Pension Benefits under the Social Security Agreement
- - If you have periods of coverage under the Korean National Pension Scheme 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 National Pension Scheme, you may be able to qualify for Korean National Pension benefits by totaling periods of coverage under the Korean and Bulgarian pension systems. However, these periods creditable under the Bulgarian pension system, must not coincide with those under the legislation of Korea.
- If you do not qualify for Korean National Pension benefits by totalizing periods of coverage of both contracting countries, you may be able to qualify for Korean National Pension benefits by totalizing periods of coverage accumulated under the legislation of a third state with which both contracting countries are bound by social security instruments which provide for the totalization of periods.
- Your benefit is calculated by dividing the Korean periods of coverage by the total periods of coverage and then multiplying by the benefits amount (Theoretical Benefit). The benefits amount (Theoretical Benefit) is calculated based on the total periods in both countries. - ② Bulgarian Pension Benefits under the Social Security Agreement
- - If you have periods of coverage under the Bulgarian Pension Scheme but do not have enough periods of coverage to qualify for pension benefits under the Bulgarian pension system, you may be able to qualify for Bulgarian pension benefits by totalizing periods of coverage under the Korean and Bulgarian pension systems. However, these periods creditable under the Korean National Pension Scheme, must not coincide with those of under the legislation of Bulgaria.
- If you do not qualify for Bulgarian pension benefits by totalizing periods of coverage of both contracting countries, you may be able to qualify for them by totalizing periods of coverage accumulated under the legislation of a third state with which both contracting countries are bound by social security instruments which provide for the totalization of periods. - ③ A national of either contracting country who resides in the other contracting country is treated equally with the national of the other contracting country in the application of the legislation of the other contracting country.
- ④ Korean lump-sum refunds are granted to Bulgarian nationals based on the Agreement. However, lump-sum refunds can be paid to nationals of a third state only in accordance with the reciprocity principle under the Korean National Pension Act.
- ⑤ There is no lump-sum refund under the Bulgarian social security system, and as such any contribution which a Korean national paid to the Bulgarian social security system will be granted in monthly installments not in a lump-sum.
- ※ For more information, you may refer to the section Agreement or Guide for Exemption Application
| As regards Korea, | As regards Bulgaria, |
|---|---|
| National Pension Service (NPS) |
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