Lookup locked: live on 2026-08-18.
This post covers Korean government refund channels; the linked official sites and sources are in Korean, and their menu names are translated into English below.
1. The boxes this post covers
The boxes this post covers are the menu names, URLs, on-screen boxes and login method names of the official channels.
2. Separate the channels first
The three channels have different payers and settlers. Only the distinctions the pages write are kept.
| Channel | What the page calls it | Payer and settler (only when in the original) |
|---|---|---|
| Hometax Find National Tax Refunds | National tax refunds not collected. The most recent 5 years from the refund decision date (S1) | National Tax Service. Refund account opening (change) report, or national tax refund notice and the post office (S1) |
| National Health Insurance refund lookup/application | Amounts exceeding the out-of-pocket ceiling, out-of-pocket refunds, overpaid or erroneously paid premiums, etc. (S8) | National Health Insurance Service. The person's own bank account (S7) |
| Year-end tax settlement lookup | Simplified deduction data, preview and estimated tax, earned income payment statement (S1, S14, S18) | Settled by the withholding agent (the company). "The refund is paid by the company to the employee." "The tax office does not pay the employee directly." (S19, 2020 guide) |
Path table (one sheet for the body)
| Channel | URL | What you see (boxes and wording the page writes) | Login |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hometax "Find National Tax Refunds" | https://www.hometax.go.kr/ (PC) / mobile screen https://mob.tbht.hometax.go.kr/jsonAction.do?actionId=UTBRDAAA03F001 | Page name "Find National Tax Refunds". Input boxes: Korean national or foreigner, resident (business) registration number, name (trade name). Result wording: "There are national tax refunds you have not collected / There are none." Help: the most recent 5 years from the refund decision date; if not received within 5 years from the first payment request date, it reverts to the national treasury. Refunds related to year-end settlement are not on this screen (S1) | Basic lookup: enter resident registration number and name. Payment requests and details require a personal authentication method (S1, S3) |
| Hometax "Refund Details Lookup" | https://mob.tbht.hometax.go.kr/jsonAction.do?actionId=UTBRDAAA02F001 | Page name "Refund Details Lookup". Table boxes: refund date, tax office name, tax item name, refund amount, payment type, payment date, bank, account number, attribution year/month, download notice. Lookup period and lookup type (S2) | Personal authentication method required (S1). 2021 Asan Tax Office notice: joint certificate login (S3, notice of that year) |
| Sontax login | https://mob.hometax.go.kr/jsonAction.do?actionId=UTBMPBAA01F001 | Login screen tabs: joint certificate, financial certificate, simple authentication (business and personal), ID, fingerprint authentication, mobile ID. Help: biometric authentication (fingerprint, face), simple authentication (private certificates) (S4) | The methods above. "If you log in with a joint, simple or financial certificate, you can use all services of mobile Hometax (Sontax)" (S4) |
| Government24 "Unrefunded Amount Lookup" guide | https://www.gov.kr/portal/service/serviceInfo/174100000054 | Service name "Unrefunded Amount Lookup". Bulk lookup of refunds of overpaid or erroneously paid national taxes, local taxes, deposits/service fees, etc. Lookup: unrefunded national tax, local tax refunds, court deposits and service fees, unrefunded health insurance, overpaid National Pension contributions, unrefunded pay-TV amounts, unrefunded telecom amounts. Refund application: unrefunded national tax, unrefunded health insurance, overpaid National Pension contributions (S16) | Members/non-members. "Some services separately require simple authentication or a certificate (joint, financial)" (S16) |
| Government24 "Find Unrefunded Amounts" (run) | https://www.gov.kr/mw/hconfRefundCert.do | Page name "Find Unrefunded Amounts". "A certificate for identity verification is required to find unrefunded amounts." Identity verification boxes: name, resident registration number (S17) | Simple authentication / joint certificate / financial certificate / mobile ID (S17) |
| NHIS "Lookup/Application for Amounts Exceeding the Out-of-Pocket Ceiling" | https://www.nhis.or.kr/nhis/minwon/minwonServiceBoard.do?articleNo=10945830&mode=view | "Look up unpaid amounts exceeding the out-of-pocket ceiling and apply for a refund." It says that if found, the amount is deposited into a bank account (S7) | NHIS login: simple authentication, joint and financial certificates (S11) |
| NHIS integrated menu | https://www.nhis.or.kr/nhis/minwon/wbhaba01010m01.do | "Civil Services Here > Personal Civil Services > Refund Lookup/Application". Sub-items: out-of-pocket refund application, application for amounts exceeding the out-of-pocket ceiling, refund application for overpaid or erroneously paid premiums, refund application for overpaid other collections, etc. (S8) | NHIS login (S11) |
| NHIS out-of-pocket ceiling system guide | https://www.nhis.or.kr/nhis/minwon/wbhapa01000m01.do?articleNo=10946900&mode=view | System definition, 2023–2026 ceiling table, advance benefits and post-hoc refunds, ceiling finalized "around August every year", application methods (main website, Health Insurance 25si, 1577-1000, branch, fax, mail) (S6) | Login for lookup and application. Apply after receiving the notice (S6) |
| The Health Insurance / Health Insurance 25si | App. The NHIS pages use both names | Out-of-pocket refund: "How to apply in The Health Insurance mobile app: Civil Services Here > Lookup > Refund Lookup and Application > Out-of-Pocket Refund Application" (S9). The application method box for the ceiling system says "Health Insurance 25si (mobile app)" (S6, S7) | In-app identity verification. PC login is simple authentication (private electronic signatures such as Naver, Kakao and financial institutions), joint and financial certificates (S11) |
| Year-end settlement simplified service | https://www.hometax.go.kr/ / temporary https://hometax.go.kr/ui/pp/yrs_index.html | Button names: "Year-End Settlement Simplified Service (deduction data lookup/issue)", "Convenient Year-End Settlement (writing the deduction return, etc.)" (S15). Path in the NTS guide: Hometax → Incentives · Year-end settlement · Donations → Year-end Settlement Simplified Service | Hometax login (S4, S14) |
| Year-end settlement preview | A menu inside Hometax. Only the 2025 tax year path is locked | "① Log in to Hometax ② Incentives · Year-end settlement · Donations ③ Convenient Year-End Settlement ④ Year-End Settlement Preview" (S14, 2025.11. notice of that year) | Hometax login |
| Year-end settlement estimated tax | https://mob.tbys.hometax.go.kr/jsonAction.do?actionId=UTBYSEAA01F001 | Page name "Calculate Estimated Tax". "It automatically fills in the deduction items for yourself and your dependents selected in the year-end settlement simplified service or the deduction items written in the deduction return, or shows an estimated tax calculated by reflecting the basic data (total salary, etc.) entered by your company" (S18) | Sontax login |
| Year-end settlement refund lookup | Another box Hometax points to | "For refunds related to year-end settlement, please use 'Lookup/Issue > Other Lookups > Earned Income Payment Statement Lookup'" (S1) | Hometax login |
Channels outside the table are not newly added to the body.
3. Hometax and Sontax: Find National Tax Refunds / Refund Details Lookup
The live page title is "Find National Tax Refunds". (S1) Sontax is the mobile version of Hometax.
PC path in the 2021.06.07 Asan Tax Office notice of that year: Hometax (www.hometax.go.kr) → Lookup/Issue >> National Tax Refunds >> Find National Tax Refunds. Resident (business) registration number and name → Look up → check the refund lookup result. (S3)
Sontax path in the 2021 notice of that year: Lookup/Issue >> Other Lookups >> Refund Lookup. Login in that year's notice: ID, joint certificate or fingerprint authentication. (S3)
Live input boxes: Korean national or foreigner, resident (business) registration number, name (trade name). Result wording: "There are national tax refunds you have not collected / There are none." (S1)
These are the live help sentences. (S1)
Because of differences in the refund payment procedure with financial institutions, refunds already paid by the bank may temporarily appear in the lookup.
Refund payment requests are available in 'Refund Details Lookup'.
For refunds related to year-end settlement, please use 'Lookup/Issue > Other Lookups > Earned Income Payment Statement Lookup'.
Refunds not collected in the most recent 5 years from the refund decision date are shown, and refunds not collected by the time 5 years have passed from the first payment request date revert to the national treasury.
* The first payment request date is the date on which the National Tax Service first requested a financial institution etc. to pay the refund
These are the boxes on the details screen. (S2)
| Box |
|---|
| Refund date |
| Tax office name |
| Tax item name |
| Refund amount |
| Payment type |
| Payment date |
| Bank |
| Account number |
| Attribution year/month |
| Download notice |
The live find screen says "national tax refunds". The tax item name is shown in the details table. (S1, S2)
Framework Act on National Taxes Article 54(1): a taxpayer's right to national tax refunds and additional interest on national tax refunds is extinguished by prescription if not exercised for 5 years from the time it can be exercised. Effective 2026. 8. 11. (S5)
Live Hometax says "5 years from the first payment request date". (S1) The article's "the time it can be exercised" and the screen's "first payment request date" are written separately.
Consultation: National Tax Consultation Center (126 without an area code). (S12)
Live Sontax login screen tabs: joint certificate, financial certificate, simple authentication (business and personal), ID, fingerprint authentication, mobile ID. Help: biometric authentication (fingerprint, face), simple authentication (private certificates). (S4)
4. Reporting a refund account: the next click
These are the 3 live "Refund payment application methods". (S1)
| Method | Page sentence |
|---|---|
| Hometax (Sontax) refund account opening (change) report | After Refund Details Lookup (personal authentication method required), file a refund account opening (change) report |
| Phone | If the uncollected refund is 5 million won or less, contact the person in charge at the tax office and report your own account |
| Visit | Get a national tax refund notice issued at the tax office and visit a post office |
This is the path in the 2021.06.07 Asan Tax Office notice of that year. (S3)
| Channel | Path in the 2021 notice of that year |
|---|---|
| Hometax | Lookup/Issue >> National Tax Refunds >> Refund Details Lookup → Payment Request → Refund Account Opening (Change) Report. Select the tax item ("All tax items" if there is no separate report) |
| Sontax | Application/Submission >> Tax Document Application (Common) >> Refund Account Opening (Change) Report |
The number of days until deposit is not on the live find or details screens, so it is not written here.
5. Government24
The guide page title is "Unrefunded Amount Lookup". Responsible office: Integrated Portal Policy Division, AI Government Service Bureau, AI Government Office, Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Last modified 2026.05.06. (S16)
The run page title is "Find Unrefunded Amounts". Inquiries 1588-2188. (S17)
Original scope of unrefunded health insurance: overpaid or erroneously paid health insurance premiums, out-of-pocket refunds, amounts exceeding the out-of-pocket ceiling, refunds of overpaid other collections. (S16)
The live run title is "Find Unrefunded Amounts". Sub-menu in the 2021 Asan Tax Office notice of that year: www.gov.kr → Services/Shared Use of Administrative Information → "Find Unrefunded Amounts" → "Find Unrefunded Amounts" at the bottom → name and resident (business) registration number. (S3, 2021 notice)
Local tax refunds and unrefunded pay-TV and telecom amounts are in the lookup box of the path table above. They are not unpacked in the body.
6. National Health Insurance Service
These are the menu names on the NHIS pages.
| Page | Menu and title |
|---|---|
| Integrated | "Civil Services Here > Personal Civil Services > Refund Lookup/Application" (S8) |
| Service | "Lookup/Application for Amounts Exceeding the Out-of-Pocket Ceiling" (S7) |
| System | "Out-of-Pocket Ceiling System" (S6) |
Original application methods: website, Health Insurance 25si (mobile app), branch visit, fax (FAX), mail, Government24 website, phone (1577-1000). (S7)
Original application timing: "You can apply after the Service sends a notice (including a payment application form) to those eligible for payment of amounts exceeding the out-of-pocket ceiling." (S6)
Original on finalizing post-hoc refunds: "Around August every year, the ceiling reference premium and the ceiling are finalized, and amounts exceeding the ceiling are determined accordingly." (S6) The same page says it takes into account the workplace year-end settlement (every April), reflection of comprehensive income for representatives of individual workplaces (every June) and assessment for faithful-filing workplaces (every July). (S6)
The old policy center page says "around the end of August of the following year". (S10)
| Category | Page sentence |
|---|---|
| Advance benefit | If the annual out-of-pocket co-payment at the same medical institution exceeds the maximum ceiling (8.43 million won as of '26), the patient pays up to 8.43 million won and the medical institution claims the excess from the Service. Nursing hospitals excluded from advance benefits since 2020.1.1. (S6) |
| Post-hoc refund | If the annual out-of-pocket co-payments at several hospitals and clinics (including pharmacies) exceed the individual ceiling, the excess is paid directly to the patient. (S6) |
The out-of-pocket ceilings by treatment year are in a table for 2023–2026 on the NHIS out-of-pocket ceiling system page. S6
Original excluded items: non-covered services, selective benefits, full out-of-pocket charges, implants, upgraded room (2–3 bed) hospitalization fees, out-of-pocket co-payments for Chuna manual therapy, outpatient treatment of mild conditions at tertiary general hospitals, etc. (S6, S7)
Original on the payment consent account: "If you submit a payment consent account application, any future amounts exceeding the out-of-pocket ceiling can be paid automatically to the registered account without a separate application." (S6)
The out-of-pocket refund is a different box. It is an amount confirmed as overcharged through a Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service review or a Ministry of Health and Welfare on-site investigation. Application deadline: 3 years from the date the payment application form is received. Website path: "Civil Services Here > Personal Civil Service Application > Refund Lookup and Application > Out-of-Pocket Refund Application". "The amount is deposited into the account within 7 days of receipt." (S9) These 7 days apply only to the out-of-pocket refund box.
Refund application for overpaid or erroneously paid premiums is the name of a sub-row of the integrated menu. (S8) Extinctive prescription: health (long-term care) insurance 3 years. (S20, S21)
Customer center: 1577-1000, weekdays 09:00–18:00, paid call. (S10)
7. The Health Insurance and Health Insurance 25si
The NHIS pages write the mobile app as The Health Insurance or Health Insurance 25si. As of 2026-08-18, the official name in the civil service application method box is Health Insurance 25si (mobile app), and the out-of-pocket refund application method box says The Health Insurance mobile app.
| Box | Name the page writes |
|---|---|
| Policy and out-of-pocket refund | "The Health Insurance (mobile app)" (S9, S10) |
| Civil service overview | "Health Insurance 25si (mobile app)" (S6, S7, S11) |
| Civil service integrated guide footer | "Health Insurance 25si" (S8) |
App path (out-of-pocket refund): Civil Services Here > Lookup > Refund Lookup and Application > Out-of-Pocket Refund Application. (S9)
8. Year-end tax settlement: paths only
Document names and issuers are in issue 12. This post writes only the paths to the lookup screens.
| Service (page name) | Path | Source and year |
|---|---|---|
| Year-End Settlement Simplified Service (deduction data lookup/issue) | Button name on the Hometax temporary page. NTS guide: Hometax → Incentives · Year-end settlement · Donations → Year-end Settlement Simplified Service | S15 (live button), issue 12 S3 (guide) |
| Convenient Year-End Settlement (writing the deduction return, etc.) | A button on the same temporary page. NTS "How to use Convenient Year-End Settlement" | S15, S13 |
| Year-End Settlement Preview | Log in to Hometax → Incentives · Year-end settlement · Donations → Convenient Year-End Settlement → Year-End Settlement Preview | S14, 2025 tax year, 2025.11 policy briefing (reposted from the NTS) |
| Calculate Estimated Tax | Sontax page name. NTS S13: "A service in which employees calculate their year-end settlement tax in advance themselves" | S13, S18 |
| Earned Income Payment Statement Lookup | Lookup/Issue > Other Lookups > Earned Income Payment Statement Lookup | S1 (live Find National Tax Refunds help) |
| Year-end settlement comprehensive guide | NTS website (www.nts.go.kr) ⇨ National Tax Filing Guide ⇨ Individual and Corporate Filing Guide ⇨ Year-End Settlement | S12. Page title: "2025 Tax Year Year-End Settlement Comprehensive Guide" (S22) |
The preview and estimated tax are lookup screens.
Refund payment (2020 guide): "The refund is paid by the company to the employee. * Note that the year-end settlement refund is not paid directly to the employee by the tax office." (S19, 2020)
Simplified service schedule: original NTS press release of 2026.1.23.: "The list of dependents whose annual income exceeds 1 million won (total salary of 5 million won if they have only earned income) has been provided in the Hometax simplified service since '26.1.15. (Thu)." A 2025 tax year notice of that year. (S12) Notice remaining on the Hometax temporary page: "Because many users use the year-end settlement service from 1.15. (Thu) to 1.20. (Tue)" (S15) The opening date for the 2026 tax year (January 2027) has not been announced. It is the simplified-service schedule the NTS announces every year.
Preview opening: opened 2025.11.5. for the 2025 tax year. (S14, S23) As of 2026-08-18 there is no primary announcement of the 2026 tax year preview schedule.
9. Schedule
| Content | Date | Source year | Notation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 NTS headquarters campaign "Uncollected refunds we come to find for you" | — | The 2026 campaign schedule could not be confirmed in NTS headquarters press releases as of the date this post was written | |
| Finding uncollected refunds for taxpayers | Notices planned to be sent before Chuseok, etc. | 2016.08.29 Busan Regional Office notice (S24) | 2016 notice of that year |
| Check your uncollected national tax refunds and collect them | Newsletter No. 958 | Written 2022.07.06 / body June 20–26, 2022 (S25) | 2022 NTS newsletter. Sentence: the most recent 5 years from the refund decision date |
| Guide to looking up uncollected national tax refunds | 2021.06.07 | Asan Tax Office (S3) | Menu path from that year's notice. If it differs from the live site, the live site takes priority |
| NHIS post-hoc refund ceiling finalized | Around August every year | S6 (the civil service page with the 2026 ceilings) | "Around August every year" as written by the NHIS |
| Dependent list provided in the simplified service | '26.1.15. (Thu) | S12, 2026.1.23 press release | 2025 tax year notice of that year. The S12 original is about providing the list, not the opening |
| Year-end settlement preview opens | 2025.11.5. | S14, S23 | 2025 tax year notice of that year |
| Extinctive prescription of national tax refunds | 5 years from the time it can be exercised | S5, effective 2026.8.11. | As in the article |
| Hometax lookup range | The most recent 5 years from the refund decision date | S1 live | As in the screen sentence |
| Out-of-pocket refund application deadline | 3 years from the date the payment application form is received | S9 | Out-of-pocket refund box only |
| Extinctive prescription of health (long-term care) insurance premium refunds | 3 years | S20, S21 | Overpaid premium box only |
10. What this post does not cover
- One-click refund filing (late filing of comprehensive income tax)
- Open services in private apps (Naver Pay, Toss, etc.)
- FINE / My Insurance Finder / hidden insurance payouts
- The 45 document types in issue 12
- Jeonse in issue 14, ISA in issue 11, youth tax reduction in issue 10
- Job change and four-major-insurance settlement calculations in issue 9
- A main piece on local taxes in Wetax, a main piece on unrefunded telecom and pay-TV amounts
Sources
- [S1] Sontax / next-generation mobile "Find National Tax Refunds", https://mob.tbht.hometax.go.kr/jsonAction.do?actionId=UTBRDAAA03F001, live on 2026-08-18.
- [S2] Sontax "Refund Details Lookup", https://mob.tbht.hometax.go.kr/jsonAction.do?actionId=UTBRDAAA02F001, live on 2026-08-18.
- [S3] Asan Tax Office notice "Guide to looking up uncollected national tax refunds", https://d.nts.go.kr/asan/na/ntt/selectNttInfo.do?mi=4210&nttSn=1296788, written 2021.06.07.
- [S4] Sontax integrated login, https://mob.hometax.go.kr/jsonAction.do?actionId=UTBMPBAA01F001, live on 2026-08-18.
- [S5] Framework Act on National Taxes Article 54, https://www.law.go.kr/lsLinkProc.do?chrClsCd=010202&datClsCd=010102&gubun=admRul&joNo=005400000&lsId=37145&lsNm=%EA%B5%AD%EC%84%B8%EA%B8%B0%EB%B3%B8%EB%B2%95&mode=10, effective 2026.8.11.
- [S6] NHIS civil service "Out-of-Pocket Ceiling System", https://www.nhis.or.kr/nhis/minwon/wbhapa01000m01.do?articleNo=10946900&mode=view, change registered 2024.12.31, includes the 2026 ceilings.
- [S7] NHIS "Lookup/Application for Amounts Exceeding the Out-of-Pocket Ceiling", https://www.nhis.or.kr/nhis/minwon/minwonServiceBoard.do?articleNo=10945830&mode=view, registered 2024.12.31.
- [S8] NHIS civil service integrated guide, https://www.nhis.or.kr/nhis/minwon/wbhaba01010m01.do, live on 2026-08-18.
- [S9] NHIS policy "Out-of-Pocket Refunds", https://www.nhis.or.kr/nhis/policy/wbhada15300m01.do, live on 2026-08-18.
- [S10] NHIS policy center overview of the out-of-pocket ceiling system, https://www.nhis.or.kr/nhis/policy/wbhada14200m01.do. Table only up to 2024. The civil service page S6 is more recent.
- [S11] NHIS login, https://www.nhis.or.kr/nhis/minwon/retrieveHwangub.do, live on 2026-08-18.
- [S12] NTS press release "Common year-end settlement mistakes", https://b.nts.go.kr/busangangseo/na/ntt/selectNttInfo.do?bbsId=1028&mi=40466&nttSn=1348212, 2026.01.23.
- [S13] NTS "How to use Convenient Year-End Settlement", https://www.nts.go.kr/nts/cm/cntnts/cntntsView.do?cntntsId=7706&mi=6646, 2026-08-18.
- [S14] Policy briefing "2025 tax year year-end settlement preview service opens", https://www.korea.kr/news/policyNewsView.do?newsId=148954467, 2025.11.10, reposted from the NTS.
- [S15] Hometax filing guide temporary page, https://hometax.go.kr/ui/pp/yrs_index.html, 2026-08-18.
- [S16] Government24 "Unrefunded Amount Lookup", https://www.gov.kr/portal/service/serviceInfo/174100000054, last modified 2026.05.06.
- [S17] Government24 "Find Unrefunded Amounts", https://www.gov.kr/mw/hconfRefundCert.do, live on 2026-08-18.
- [S18] Sontax "Calculate Estimated Tax", https://mob.tbys.hometax.go.kr/jsonAction.do?actionId=UTBYSEAA01F001, live on 2026-08-18.
- [S19] NTS Easy Guide for Foreigners' Year-end Tax Settlement, https://www.nts.go.kr/upload/english/sub/2020%20Easy%20Guide%20for%20Foreigners'%20Year-end%20Tax%20Settlement.pdf, 2020.
- [S20] Government24 "Health and pension insurance premium refund lookup and application", https://www.gov.kr/portal/service/serviceInfo/PTR000050351, last modified 2026.07.28.
- [S21] NHIS "Premium Refunds", https://www.nhis.or.kr/nhis/minwon/wbhapa01000m01.do?articleNo=10946897&mode=view, registered 2024.12.31.
- [S22] NTS "Year-End Settlement Comprehensive Guide", https://www.nts.go.kr/nts/cm/cntnts/cntntsView.do?cntntsId=238938&mi=2304, 2026-08-18. Title "2025 tax year".
- [S23] Policy briefing "Year-end settlement preview service starts on the 5th", https://www.korea.kr/news/policyNewsView.do?newsId=148954010, 2025.11.5, NTS.
- [S24] Busan Regional Office notice "Finding dormant national tax refunds for taxpayers", https://b.nts.go.kr/busannts/na/ntt/selectNttInfo.do?mi=5960&nttSn=168317, 2016.08.29.
- [S25] NTS Newsletter No. 958, https://www.nts.go.kr/nts/na/ntt/selectNttInfo.do?mi=2209&nttSn=1306317, 2022.07.06.
- [S26] Hometax website, https://www.hometax.go.kr/, 2026-08-18.
- [S27] NTS website, https://www.nts.go.kr/, 2026-08-18.
- [S28] Government24 "Tax refunds etc. lookup", https://www.gov.kr/portal/service/serviceInfo/PTR000050473, last modified 2026.04.30.