The government’s initiative to support early enrollment for young people in the National Pension system has inadvertently excluded approximately 413,000 individuals aged 19 to 26. While the National Pension Act specifies support for those aged 18 to 26, a clause limiting eligibility to those born from 2001 to 2008 has effectively barred this group from receiving benefits.
On October 12, Rep. Park Yong-gap of the Democratic Party revealed data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Pension Service, confirming that the upcoming 'First National Pension Premium Support' program will not include the existing youth aged 19 to 26.
This program, set to launch next year, will provide the first month’s pension premium for those turning 18 in 2009 or, for those with prior payment history, will recognize an additional month of enrollment. The program has generated significant interest, with 1,729 applications submitted by the morning of October 6, just six days after pre-registration began.
The issue arises from a contradiction between the main text of the law and its supplementary provisions. Article 100-5 of the National Pension Act states that citizens aged 18 to under 27 are eligible for support. However, the supplementary Article 2 restricts the program to individuals who turn 18 after January 1, 2027.
This clause means that while those born in 2009 (approximately 451,000 individuals) can apply, those aged 19 to 26 born from 2001 to 2008 (approximately 413,000 individuals) are denied the opportunity to apply, despite meeting the age criteria outlined in the main text. As a result, these young adults are deprived of the chance to secure an additional month of pension enrollment through government support.
Given that the government has cited the need to address the high rate of youth exclusion from the National Pension system as a key reason for launching this initiative, the large-scale exclusion contradicts the original intent of the law. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s budget proposal for 2027, as of December 2025, 59.7% of the 464,000 young people aged 18 to 26 were excluded from the National Pension system, while only 45,000 would benefit from the program in its first year.
Rep. Park stated, "This initiative was launched as a national project to reduce the pension gap for young people, yet those aged 19 to 26 who fall within the support age range are excluded from the start due to the supplementary provisions. We must implement corrective measures to ensure the law's intent is reflected in the actual program."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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