[경제]The pace just after the ‘pension reform’ Lunar New Year… What is the sustainable solution?

[앵커]

During the Lunar New Year holidays, YTN gives detailed attention to key issues in reforming the national pension system.

The discussion on ‘pension reform’, the three major reform tasks of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, is expected to begin in earnest at the end of this month.

The result of calculating the financial status of the national pension once every five years will be published soon, and we have difficult homework to solve, such as ensuring ‘stability’ and expanding ‘guarantee’.

Reporter Shin Ji-won reports.

[기자]

An ‘aged society’ where one in five citizens is aged 65 or over is only two years away.

Korea has the highest elderly poverty rate (37.6%) and the lowest fertility rate (0.84) among OECD member countries. (Statistical Office)

Issues related to a low birth rate and an aging population ultimately lead to concerns about the old age income security system.

Citizens’ opinions on ‘pension reform’, one of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s three major reform tasks, are varied.

[김수왕 / 서울 신도림동 (55년생) : 저는 국민연금을 받은 지 한 12년쯤 됐는데 지금 80만 원쯤 받고 있어요. 많이 낸 만큼 더 받는다고 하면, 많이 낼 것 같아요. 노후를 생각해서라도….]

[유운영 / 서울 신대방동 (65년생) : 금전적으로 부담이 안 되는 사람들은 보험료율을 올려도 문제가 없는데, 생활이 어려운 사람들은 당장 그것도 납부하기가 힘든 편입니다.]

The state pension insurance premium rate is 9%.

It has been the same for 24 years since 1998, which is less than half the OECD average (18.2%).

The less you pay, the less money you get.

The ‘income replacement rate’, which shows how close the pension receipt is to the average lifetime income, has fallen by 0.5% per year since 2017, reaching 42.5% this year.

This is the level that can be received when all 40 years of subscription period have been fulfilled.

The pace at which pension funding is empty is accelerating.

The exhaustion period of the fund, which was estimated to be 2060 by 2013, was brought forward by 3 years to 2057 in 2018, and can be further shortened if it is calculated again this year after 5 years.

Therefore, within the next 10 years, there is also a diagnosis that the insurance premium rate should be raised to the 15% level and finally to the 21% level.

[윤석명 / 한국보건사회연구원 연구위원 : 이 제도를 그냥 놔두면 자식 세대, 손자 손녀 세대에서 엄청나게 고통을 받습니다. 이걸 덜어주기 위해서는 우리가 보험료를 조금 더 부담한다든가, 고통스럽더라도 받는 건 지금 수준에 묶어두고 일을 더 해서…. 그래야 세대간 형평성도 유지되고 정책이 지속 가능할 수 있다.]

The Ministry of Health and Welfare will publish the ‘5th National Pension Financial Estimate’ at the end of this month, which is held every five years to evaluate the financial stability of the national pension and establish fund management policy.

The private advisory committee’s ‘closing discussion’ will also take place over two days from the 27th.

[남찬섭 / 동아대학교 사회복지학과 교수 : 재정 안정화 개혁과 함께 보장성 강화 개혁도 동시에 하는, 그런 점에서는 1차·2차 연금 개혁하고는 약간 프레임이 다른 개혁이고, 그게 지금 연금 개혁에 관한 국제 동향과도 맞지 않나 생각합니다.]

Some point out that it should lead to real social security expansion, not just raising money.

Right after the Lunar New Year holiday, it seems that social negotiations for a sustainable pension system will be active.

This is YTN Shin Ji-win.

YTN Shin Ji-won (jiwonsh@ytn.co.kr)

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