The government will operate a concentrated reporting period for fraudulent claims of employment insurance until the end of the year. Individuals who voluntarily report fraudulent claims will be exempt from additional penalties, and those who provide tips about fraud can receive rewards of up to 50 million won.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on November 8 that it will run the "2026 Second Half Employment Insurance Fraud Concentrated Reporting Period" from November 9 to December 31. This reporting period will cover unemployment benefits, maternity protection benefits, employment incentives, and vocational training programs.
Last year, the concentrated reporting period was held for one month from November 3 to December 2. This year, the period has been extended to receive voluntary reports and public tips.
Individuals who voluntarily report fraudulent claims will be exempt from additional penalties on the amount fraudulently received. However, any benefits that were improperly received must be fully returned. Exemptions from additional penalties apply to unemployment benefits and maternity protection benefits, while those involved in employment stability and vocational training programs may have their penalty periods reduced by up to one-third.
To qualify for the voluntary reporting benefits, individuals must report before an investigation begins and must fully disclose any fraudulent activities during the investigation. Benefits may be limited for those involved in collusion with employers or those with a history of fraudulent claims in the past three years.
Tipsters reporting fraudulent claims will receive rewards based on the amount recovered and the issuance of return orders, ranging from 20% to 30% of the fraudulent amount. The maximum reward for reporting unemployment benefit fraud is 5 million won, while collusion with employers can yield rewards up to 50 million won. Rewards for maternity protection benefits can reach up to 5 million won, and for employment stability and vocational training programs, up to 30 million won.
Reports can be made through online channels such as the Employment 24 website, the Ministry of Labor's homepage, and the National Report Center, or by visiting local employment and labor offices, mailing, faxing, or calling.
Alongside the concentrated reporting period, the Ministry will conduct special inspections for fraudulent unemployment benefits. Key targets include individuals who have repeatedly received unemployment benefits from the same employer three times or more, particularly those suspected of false job separation reports and those who traveled abroad on the day of unemployment recognition.
However, merely having a history of repeated claims or being abroad does not automatically indicate fraud. The Ministry plans to individually verify the circumstances of job separations, the parties applying for unemployment recognition, and whether re-employment activities are taking place to determine the legitimacy of claims.
Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon stated, "Repeated claims are an inevitable aspect due to the structural factors of our labor market, which has a high proportion of temporary workers. Considering these characteristics, we will strengthen protections for vulnerable workers facing employment instability while responding more strictly to those who abuse the system and fraudulently claim support funds."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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