South Korea Archives - Pension Policy International

04MarMarch 4, 2026

How South Korea nudged its birth rate back up – and what Singapore can learn

As Singapore's birth rate hits a historic low, South Korea's modest but notable rebound offers a ray of hope and possible lessons, experts said. Singapore's total fertility rate (TFR) fell to 0.87 in 2025, parliament was told on Thursday (Feb 26), continuing a slide that first pushed the country below 1.0 in 2023. A TFR below one means the average woman has less than one child in her lifetime – far below the 2.1 replacement rate needed to keep the population from...

March 4, 2026

NewsAging, Labor Market, South Korea

27FebFebruary 27, 2026

South Korea. Pension service posts record investment gains of $161B on local bourse rally

The National Pension Service (NPS) posted record investment gains of 231.6 trillion won ($161 billion) in 2025, boosted by a sharp rally in Korean stocks that sent the local market soaring. NPS Investment Management lifted the fund’s total assets to 1.46 quadrillion won, according to the service's management arm. The NPS fund’s assets rose from 1.21 quadrillion won in 2024 to 1.46 quadrillion in 2025, while the annual return reached 18.82 percent. Since the fund was established in 1988, its cumulative return...

February 27, 2026

NewsSouth Korea

19FebFebruary 19, 2026

South Korean National Pension Service Crypto Holdings Plunge 28% in Q4 2025 Amid Market Turmoil

The National Pension Service of South Korea, the world’s third-largest pension fund, reported a significant 28% decline in its cryptocurrency-related stock portfolio during the fourth quarter of 2025. This substantial decrease marks the first downward movement for the fund’s digital asset investments since mid-2023, reflecting broader market turbulence that began in October. Consequently, the value of these holdings dropped from approximately 880 billion won to 640 billion won ($437.86 million), according to recent regulatory filings. South Korean National Pension Service...

February 19, 2026

NewsCrypto, Investment, Pension Management, South Korea

09FebFebruary 9, 2026

South Korea. Seniors Drive 80% of Employment Insurance Growth as Youth Subscribers Decline

Last month, the majority of new subscribers to employment insurance were seniors aged 60 and older, according to statistics. While the rapid increase in working seniors drove the growth in new subscribers, the number of young people aged 29 and younger enrolled in employment insurance actually decreased. According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s report, “Labor Market Trends Based on Employment Administration Statistics,” released on the 9th, the number of regular employment insurance subscribers as of the end of...

February 9, 2026

NewsAging, Labor Market, South Korea

05FebFebruary 5, 2026

UK. Industry warns against ‘giving up’ on saver engagement at retirement

The pensions industry should maintain engagement and not rely too heavily on default solutions at retirement, industry experts have stated. Speaking during an ABI Annual Conference session on personal pensions, Fidelity International head of platform policy and oversight, James Carter, emphasised a “fundamental difference” between individuals who actively opened a personal pension and those who were automatically enrolled into a workplace scheme. He cautioned against assuming that all savers were inherently passive and warned that the industry had increasingly accepted disengagement...

February 5, 2026

NewsAging, South Korea

04FebFebruary 4, 2026

South Korea’s Older Adults Employment Rate Reaches 70% Milestone

As South Korea's society rapidly ages, the employment rate of older adults, aged 55–64, last year surpassed 70% for the first time since statistical records began. According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s "Trends in Older Adult Employment" data released on the 4th, the employment rate for older adults last year was 70.5%, exceeding 70% for the first time since related statistics began in 1983. This marks a slight increase from the previous year’s 69.9%. The statistic defines those...

February 4, 2026

NewsAging, South Korea

16JanJanuary 16, 2026

South Korea. National Pension Fund Surpasses 1,500 Trillion Won Mark

The National Pension Fund, which surpassed 1,400 trillion won at the end of last year, is understood to have broken through 1,500 trillion won in just two weeks, riding on KOSPI’s rally, which broke all-time highs for 10 consecutive trading days. According to investment banking (IB) industry sources on Jan. 15, the National Pension Fund’s asset management scale recently exceeded 1,500 trillion won. This represents an increase of nearly 30 trillion won this year from the provisional figure of approximately...

January 16, 2026

NewsPension Management, South Korea

09JanJanuary 9, 2026

National pension and basic pension rise 2.1% in South Korea

Starting in January this year, National Pension and basic pension recipients will receive benefits raised by 2.1% from the previous level. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said on the 9th that it convened the National Pension Review Committee at the National Pension Service Gangnam office and approved the change. First, it decided to raise the National Pension basic pension amount and the dependent family pension amount by 2.1%, reflecting last year's consumer price inflation. With this increase, an old...

January 9, 2026

NewsRulation, South Korea

19DecDecember 19, 2025

Labor Supply and Savings Responses to Increasing the Pension Eligibility Age in South Korea

By Janghyeok An, Devon Gorry & Jonathan M. Leganza We study how South Koreans responded to an increase in the full pension eligibility age. Using a regression discontinuity design, we document the causal effects of the change on several potential margins of adjustment. We find clear evidence of delayed benefit claiming, consistent with studies in other settings. However, we find little to no statistical evidence of changes in labor supply, in contrast with previous literature. We also find no changes...

December 19, 2025

Articles, Labor Market2025, Labor Market, Public Pensions, Retirement Age, Social Security, South Korea

01DecDecember 1, 2025

Korea Strengthens Financial-Regulatory Alliance to Channel Pension Capital into Venture Growth

Korea is taking another decisive step toward deepening the link between finance and innovation. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) and the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) have signed a new agreement that could reshape how institutional funds, including pensions and retirement capital, flow into venture investment. This move has shown Korea’s determination to strengthen the foundations of its venture ecosystem and support its global startup ambitions. MSS and FSS Forge Alliance to Expand Venture Investment Channels The MSS and FSS signed a memorandum of understanding on...

December 1, 2025

NewsInvestment, Regulation, South Korea

March 2026

How South Korea nudged its birth rate back up – and what Singapore can learn

February 2026

South Korea. Pension service posts record investment gains of $161B on local bourse rally

South Korean National Pension Service Crypto Holdings Plunge 28% in Q4 2025 Amid Market Turmoil

South Korea. Seniors Drive 80% of Employment Insurance Growth as Youth Subscribers Decline

UK. Industry warns against ‘giving up’ on saver engagement at retirement

South Korea’s Older Adults Employment Rate Reaches 70% Milestone

January 2026

South Korea. National Pension Fund Surpasses 1,500 Trillion Won Mark

National pension and basic pension rise 2.1% in South Korea

December 2025

Korea Strengthens Financial-Regulatory Alliance to Channel Pension Capital into Venture Growth