Unclaimed Money in South Korea
South Korea has a well-developed unclaimed money system. The FOSS portal (Find-Out the Sleeping Sum / 휴면예금 찾아줌) at dormant.kinfa.or.kr is operated by the Korea Inclusive Finance Agency (KINFA / 서민금융진흥원) and allows South Korean citizens and former residents to search for dormant bank accounts, insurance policies, and securities in a single integrated search. Dormant bank deposits are managed by the Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation (KDIC / 예금보험공사).
Accounts that have been dormant for 5 years are transferred under the Depositor Protection Act. The portal integrates data from all member financial institutions including banks, insurance companies, securities firms, and mutual savings banks.
How to Use the FOSS Portal
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dormant.kinfa.or.kr
The official FOSS portal. Log in with your Korean authentication (공인인증서 or 간편인증 via PASS, Kakao, or Naver). Search results show all dormant accounts held in your Resident Registration Number (RRN).
✓ Primary official portal
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Korean Banks
Kookmin (KB), Shinhan, Hana, Woori, and NongHyup (NH) are the five major Korean banks. Accounts inactive for 5 years are transferred to KDIC. Check FOSS first, then contact individual banks for accounts under 5 years.
✓ All major banks integrated
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Korean Insurance
Life insurance (생명보험) and non-life insurance (손해보험) dormant policies are included in FOSS. Samsung Life, Hanwha Life, and Kyobo Life are the largest life insurers.
✓ Insurance included in FOSS
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Securities Accounts
Dormant securities and investment accounts at brokerages like Mirae Asset, Samsung Securities, or NH Investment are also covered by FOSS.
✓ Securities included
Korean Resident Registration Number
The Korean Resident Registration Number (RRN / 주민등록번호) is a 13-digit identifier linked to all Korean financial accounts. You must have an RRN and Korean digital authentication (인증서) to use the FOSS portal.
For overseas Koreans (재외동포) without domestic internet banking certificates, the FOSS portal can still be accessed via some overseas authentication methods. Contact the Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation directly at kdic.or.kr for assistance with overseas claims. For deceased relatives, estate claim procedures apply through KDIC.
What is the FOSS portal?
FOSS (Find-Out the Sleeping Sum / 휴면예금 찾아줌) is an integrated portal at dormant.kinfa.or.kr operated by the Korea Inclusive Finance Agency (KINFA). It searches dormant accounts across all Korean financial institutions simultaneously. Dormant bank deposits are separately managed by the Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation (KDIC).
What is the dormancy period in South Korea?
Under the Depositor Protection Act, accounts that have been dormant for 5 years are transferred to KDIC as 'dormant accounts' (휴면예금). The funds remain claimable from KDIC indefinitely — there is no expiry for claims.
Can overseas Koreans access FOSS?
Overseas Koreans with a Korean RRN can potentially access FOSS, but Korean digital authentication (공인인증서) is required. Contact KDIC at 1588-0037 or kdic.or.kr for assistance with overseas access.
What about the Microfinance Foundation's dormant account programme?
Some dormant accounts under KRW 50,000 are transferred to the Korea Microfinance Foundation (서민금융진흥원) for social purposes. These can still be claimed — contact KINFA (kinfa.or.kr) for assistance.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Unclaimed Money in South Korea
What is the FOSS system and how does it help me find unclaimed money?
FOSS (Find Our Shared Savings / 내 돈 찾기) is South Korea's integrated unclaimed financial asset search portal operated by the Financial Supervisory Service (금융감독원 — FSS). It allows Korean residents and former residents to search for dormant bank accounts, unclaimed insurance payouts, unclaimed pension savings, and other financial assets across multiple institutions simultaneously. You can access FOSS at fss.or.kr. Korean citizens can log in using their Resident Registration Number (주민등록번호) and additional authentication. Foreign nationals who previously lived in Korea may need to contact the FSS directly for assistance in searching under their Alien Registration Number.
Are there unclaimed National Pension (NPS) benefits in South Korea?
Yes. The National Pension Service (NPS / 국민연금) manages Korea's mandatory pension system. Foreign nationals who worked in South Korea and contributed to the NPS may be eligible for a lump-sum return of contributions when they leave the country, provided their home country does not have a bilateral social security agreement with Korea. This must be claimed within five years of leaving Korea. If you did not claim this refund when you left, contact NPS at nps.or.kr to check your contribution record and eligibility for a late claim. Korea has bilateral agreements with countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, India, and the US.
How long before a Korean bank account is treated as dormant?
Under Korean banking regulations, a bank account with no customer-initiated transactions for five years is classified as dormant. Banks must make notification efforts before classifying accounts. After ten years of dormancy, unclaimed balances may be transferred to the Dormant Deposits Management Committee (휴면예금관리위원회), which administers these funds under the Act on the Management of Dormant Deposits. Funds transferred to the committee remain claimable by the owner or their heirs indefinitely by submitting a claim through the original bank or through the committee's official portal.
Can foreigners claim unclaimed money from South Korean accounts?
Yes. Foreign nationals who previously worked or lived in South Korea can claim dormant accounts and other unclaimed financial assets. You will need your Alien Registration Number (외국인등록번호) or passport number and evidence of your former Korean address or employer. For estate claims, Korean probate documentation or internationally recognised inheritance certificates are required, potentially with an apostille. The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) at fss.or.kr can direct you to the appropriate institution for your specific claim type. A Korean legal professional (변호사) can assist with complex estate claims.