Parents filed 60.4% of applications; Gyeonggi Province and Seoul account for nearly half
Pre-applications for the "youth first national pension premium support" program, set to launch in January next year, have surpassed 10,000, the National Pension Service announced Wednesday.
As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, of the 10,000 total applicants, 3,963 (39.6%) were young people applying on their own behalf, while 6,037 (60.4%) were parents applying on behalf of their children.
By region, Gyeonggi Province led with 2,987 applicants (29.9%), followed by Seoul with 1,794 (17.9%). Applications also came from outside the Greater Seoul metropolitan area, including 579 from Gwangju and South Jeolla Province (5.8%), 523 from South Chungcheong Province (5.2%) and 512 from South Gyeongsang Province (5.1%).
At a recent national audit session of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, critics raised concerns that the program benefits only those who apply rather than all eligible youth, that the rate of parental proxy applications is high, and that application rates are disproportionately concentrated in major cities and the three Gangnam districts — suggesting that only those with greater access to information and financial means are actively taking advantage of the system.
The National Pension Service said it would combine online outreach with in-person promotional activities across regions nationwide, noting that 99 percent of applicants had applied online.
"We will expand outreach to schools, households and local communities so that young people do not miss the opportunity to apply simply because they are unaware of the support program," National Pension Service Chairman Kim Seong-ju said. "We will continue to support more young people in preparing for their future together with the national pension."
The youth first national pension premium support program is a government initiative that covers one month of pension premiums — equivalent to the minimum standard monthly income threshold — for young people who turn 18 on or after Jan. 1, 2027.
The program is designed to encourage early enrollment among young people whose entry into the national pension system is delayed due to studies, military service or other reasons, and to help them build a foundation for retirement.
The government will cover the full first month of premiums for those who turn 18 in 2027 or later. The support amount is 41,000 won ($31), equivalent to the full premium based on the minimum standard monthly income threshold under the national pension system at the time of application.
Applications can be submitted by the young person themselves or by a parent. When a parent applies, the family relationship with the child must be verified, but if the National Pension Service's system can confirm the relationship, no additional documents are required. Applications can also be made through the service's website or mobile app without visiting a local branch in person.
Young people who submit a pre-application will receive the premium support in the month of their birthday next year.
thlee@heraldcorp.com
