National Pension Reform Plan: (3) Premium Support? (4) Guaranteed Payment?

Key points of the 2025 National Pension reform

< 2 of the 4 key points >
3. Expanded premium support
Support that was previously given only to regionally insured persons who resumed payments is expanded to those below a certain income level
Support for up to 12 months
< Simple explanation >
Among National Pension subscribers, regionally insured persons such as self-employed people and freelancers must pay the full premium themselves.
Previously, support was given only to people who had paid premiums, stopped, and then started paying again
Now, however, support is given to all regionally insured persons with low incomes.
For example, a self-employed person with a monthly income of 1,000,000 won must pay a premium of 130,000 won (13%), but now the government will cover half, 65,000 won, for up to 1 year.
This reduces the premium burden on low-income people and allows more people to join the National Pension.
4. Clarified payment guarantee
The payment guarantee provision is made clearer to increase trust in pension benefits
Article 3-2 of the National Pension Act: strengthened from an obligation to establish policies → an obligation to guarantee payment
< Simple explanation >
Many people worry, "Will I really get back the pension I paid in later?"
To address this, the law was changed to be clearer.
Previously, it only said something like "the government has an obligation to make plans for paying pensions," but now it more strongly stipulates that the government has an obligation to pay pensions without fail.
This is like a promise growing stronger, from "We have plans to build a house" to "We will definitely build you a house."