Kiwoom Securities' Pyoh Young-dae Discusses Retirement Fund Strategies for Different Age Groups

 
퇴직연금 시장이 ‘보관’에서 ‘투자’ 중심으로 빠르게 변화하면서 연령과 은퇴 시점에 따라 자산운용 전략도 달라져야 한다는 목소리가 커지고 있다. 은퇴까지 시간이 많이 남은 젊은 세대는 글로벌 상장지수펀드(ETF) 등 성장형 자산을 적극 활용하는 반면 은퇴가 가까워질수록 자산 보전에 무게를 둬야 한다는 것이다. 후발주자로 퇴직연금 시장에 뛰어든 키움증권은 기존 개인투자자 기반과 온라인 투자 플랫폼을 앞세워 ‘생애주기별 연금 투자’ 시장 공략에 나서고 있다.
 
On August 31, Pyoh Young-dae, head of the retirement platform division at Kiwoom Securities, stated, "Retirement pensions should be approached as long-term investments looking decades ahead, rather than short-term trading. It is important to adhere to the principles of diversified investment and long-term asset allocation rather than focusing on specific stocks or industries."
 
He emphasized that investment strategies should vary by age group. "For those in their 20s and 30s, with a long time until retirement, increasing the proportion of growth assets like global stock ETFs and considering a systematic investment strategy could be beneficial," he explained. "In your 40s, you can balance aggressive and stable assets, potentially utilizing Target Date Funds (TDF)."
 
After the age of 50, he advised focusing on asset preservation. He noted, "It is necessary to shift towards asset preservation after 50, but it is also important to maintain a certain proportion of performance-dividend products to counter inflation and prepare for withdrawal strategies post-retirement."
 
Despite increased market volatility, he argued that frequent trading in retirement accounts is not necessary. "The higher the volatility, the more important it is to stick to long-term asset allocation principles rather than trading based on market movements," he said, adding that long-term, systematic investments using ETFs allow for diversification across various stocks and regions.
 
Regarding the balance between direct investment and diversification, he explained, "Rather than avoiding direct investment altogether, it is important to adjust the proportion of direct investment based on individual investment experience and risk preference while maintaining a foundation of diversified investment." He added, "For clients who find direct investment challenging, there are options like ETFs, TDFs, and future AI-based asset management services that can be utilized."
 
Kiwoom Securities places significant emphasis on its online investment platform for retirement pensions. Pyoh stated, "Our greatest competitive advantage is allowing clients to use the familiar investment environment they experienced with our existing Hero MTS and HTS in their retirement pensions."
 
He noted that initial customer inflow has confirmed this existing investor base. "As of the end of July, about 96% of the 8,335 IRP clients were existing Hero customers," he said, emphasizing that connecting existing individual investors to manage their retirement pensions in a familiar environment is a key strategy.
 
The online-centric strategy also leads to cost competitiveness. Pyoh mentioned, "Initially, we plan to prioritize customer base and trust over profitability, waiving fees in the first year and aiming to expand our customer base and accumulated funds through a low-cost structure in the long term."
 
He also highlighted, "We have combined various investment products, including the industry’s first foreign currency products, AI-based asset management, low fees, and services that allow subscribers to request the introduction of operators directly." He stressed, "Retirement pensions are like a salary for workers after retirement, so it is essential to grow assets through global diversification starting now."
 
Kiwoom Securities plans to expand its retirement pension product lineup from domestic to global assets. Pyoh stated, "We currently offer foreign currency RP and plan to add foreign bonds and U.S. Treasury bonds, with future expansions into global bonds, alternative assets, and foreign ELB and ELS products."
 
He also predicted that the competitive landscape of the retirement pension market will change. "Previously, the market was centered around banks and insurance companies, but in the future, the proportion of securities firms will increase," he said, noting that the shift from principal-protected products to performance-dividend products like ETFs and funds, along with a transition from face-to-face sales to online platforms, will make investment platform competitiveness a crucial factor.
 
Kiwoom Securities aims to rank among the top five in terms of retirement pension accumulated funds in the long term. Pyoh concluded, "Rather than fixating on short- to mid-term goals, we are looking at the business with a long-term perspective of over ten years, aiming for a 10% market share in the securities industry and a top-five ranking in retirement pension accumulated funds by 2035."