How Do You Tell Your Manager You're Quitting in Korean?
Check your contract first. Unless it says otherwise, notice generally takes about a month under the Civil Code. Then tell your manager privately, before anyone else, and say it as a decision: 고민 끝에 퇴사하기로 결정했습니다.
You signed the new offer last night. Or maybe you're heading home, or going back to school. Either way, one conversation is left, and it's the one you've been rehearsing in the shower: telling your team lead you're leaving.
In English you might just say "I'm quitting." The Korean that pops into your head is probably 저 그만둘게요, and that's exactly where it can go a little sideways.
Today you'll learn how to say it calmly in Korean: ask for a private moment, say it as a decision, offer a last day, and promise a clean handover.
At a glance
| Situation | Korean | When to use | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ask for a private moment | 팀장님, 따로 말씀드릴 게 있는데 잠깐 시간 괜찮으세요? | First, before anyone else hears | There's something I'd like to talk to you about privately. Do you have a moment? |
| Say it as a decision | 고민 끝에 퇴사하기로 결정했습니다 | In the private conversation | After a lot of thought, I've decided to leave the company. |
| Offer a last day | 마지막 근무일은 다음 달 말로 생각하고 있는데, 괜찮으실까요? | Right after the news | I'm thinking of the end of next month as my last day. Would that work? |
| Promise a handover | 인수인계는 끝까지 잘 마무리하겠습니다 | To reassure your manager | I'll make sure the handover is fully wrapped up. |
| Avoid as your opener | 저 그만둘게요 | Out of the blue, to your manager | "I'm quitting." Sounds like you're walking out today |
Who should hear it first?
Your direct manager, in private, before anyone else. Not the team chat, not the coworker you have lunch with, and not an email to HR first, unless your company's process says so. News travels fast in a Korean office, and a manager who hears it secondhand is often more hurt by that than by the fact that you're leaving.
So start by asking for a moment: 팀장님, 따로 말씀드릴 게 있는데 잠깐 시간 괜찮으세요? "There's something I'd like to talk to you about privately. Do you have a moment?" If they're swamped, 오늘 중에 10분 정도만 시간 내주실 수 있을까요? asks for about ten minutes sometime today.
Then say it plainly: 고민 끝에 퇴사하기로 결정했습니다. "After a lot of thought, I've decided to leave the company." 고민 끝에 tells them this isn't a bad-day mood, and 결정했습니다 tells them it's already decided, not an opening for a counteroffer. So if you remember one thing, make it this: tell your manager first and in private, say it as a decision, and bring a last day and a handover plan with you.
퇴사, 사직, or 그만두다?
All three are about leaving, but they sit in different places. 퇴사 literally means "leaving the company," and it's the neutral word everyone at work uses. 사직 is the formal, written version. You'll see it on the 사직서 (resignation letter) more than you'll hear it in conversation.
그만두다 is everyday "quit." It's completely fine with friends, as in 회사 그만뒀어 ("I quit my job"). But 저 그만둘게요 said straight to your manager can sound abrupt, almost like you're leaving this afternoon. If you're moving to a new role, 이직 (changing jobs) is a gentle frame too: 다른 회사로 이직하게 됐습니다, "I'm moving to another company."
How much notice do I need to give?
Start with your employment contract and your company's rules (취업규칙), because many of them spell out a notice period. Korea's labor law doesn't set one for employees who resign. If your contract or company rules don't say otherwise, a resignation under the Civil Code generally takes effect one month after notice, and can take a little longer depending on how your pay period works. Check your contract first. Fixed-term contracts work differently, too.
One more thing people forget: the notice period is still work time. Simply not showing up during it can count as an unexcused absence, so plan your last weeks around the handover, not around your new start date. You can read the article itself in Civil Act Article 660 on the Korean Law Information Center, and the ministry explains how it applies here:
If you're on a work visa
If your stay in Korea is tied to your job, for example on an E-7, leaving or changing jobs comes with immigration steps, and the details depend on your situation and job type. Before you set your last day, check your case with the Immigration Contact Center at 1345. It answers in many languages, including English:
What if they ask why?
They probably will, and you don't owe a speech. One honest, positive line is plenty: 새로운 분야에 도전해 보고 싶어서요 ("I'd like to try a new field") or 개인적인 사정으로 결정하게 됐습니다 ("It's for personal reasons"). The second one is also a polite way to close the topic if you'd rather not go into detail.
If your manager offers to change something to keep you and your mind is made up, stay kind and firm: 말씀은 정말 감사하지만, 이미 결정한 일이라서요. "I really appreciate that, but I've already made up my mind." Then end on thanks: 그동안 많이 배웠습니다. 정말 감사했습니다. "I've learned so much here. Thank you, truly."
Lines you can borrow
- 팀장님, 따로 말씀드릴 게 있는데 잠깐 시간 괜찮으세요? — There's something I'd like to talk to you about privately. Do you have a moment?
- 고민 끝에 퇴사하기로 결정했습니다. — After a lot of thought, I've decided to leave the company.
- 마지막 근무일은 다음 달 말로 생각하고 있는데, 괜찮으실까요? — I'm thinking of the end of next month as my last day. Would that work?
- 인수인계는 끝까지 잘 마무리하겠습니다. — I'll make sure the handover is fully wrapped up.
- 그동안 많이 배웠습니다. 정말 감사했습니다. — I've learned so much here. Thank you, truly.
Try it at work today
Even if you're not going anywhere soon, open your contract and find the line about 퇴사 or 사직. Knowing your notice period now means you'll never have to guess under pressure. Then say 고민 끝에 퇴사하기로 결정했습니다 out loud once, so the words already feel familiar if the day comes.
Korean offices are smaller worlds than they look. The manager you say goodbye to might be a reference, a client, or a coworker again in a few years, and a calm, clear goodbye is worth a little rehearsal.
This week: find the notice line in your contract, practice the decision line, and keep that first conversation private.
Quick questions
Should I tell my manager by message or in person?
In person is the respectful default, or a video call if you work remotely. A short chat message to ask for the meeting is fine; just save the news itself for the conversation.
Do I need to write a resignation letter?
Many companies ask for a 사직서, often on their own form, after you've talked to your manager. Ask HR which format they use instead of writing one from scratch.
Is it okay to say I'm leaving for a higher salary?
You can, but you don't have to. 좋은 기회가 생겨서요 ("A good opportunity came up") is honest without turning the conversation into a negotiation.
Related reads
- How Do You Ask for a Deadline Extension in Korean at Work?
- How to Ask for a Day Off in a Korean Office
- How to Answer "Expected Salary?" in a Korean Interview
If you want to practice:
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