[COVER STORY] Middle-aged Koreans largely look to national pension for post-retirement safety net

More than six out of 10 middle-aged Koreans now see the national pension as their main post-retirement safety net, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics on Monday. The share rose to 61 percent from 51.7 percent a decade ago, while reliance on private pensions and savings fell. The data also shows continued anxiety over job security and rising demand for public support in retirement, medical care and caregiving.

The data was based on 10 years of survey responses from people aged 40 to 64 collected through the ministry’s annual survey.

The share of respondents who said they were building or already had a retirement cushion rose from 75.8 percent in 2015 to 81.9 percent in 2025.

Reliance on private pension services fell from 11.7 percent to 5.4 percent, while savings, installment savings and savings-type insurance declined from 19.9 percent to 14.7 percent.

The ministry said 55.8 percent of middle-aged workers in 2025 expressed anxiety over job security, down from 61 percent a decade earlier.

Demand for medical and caregiving services rose to 30.3 percent, up 11.4 percentage points from 2015, and 65 percent said caring for elderly parents should be shared by family, the state and society.

Published Sep 21, 2026 4:34 pm KST

Updated Sep 21, 2026 8:19 pm KST

Over 55% fear layoffs, unwanted career changes

A citizen receives a consultation at a branch of the National Pension Service in Jongno District, Seoul, March 2, 2023. Yonhap

More than six out of 10 middle-aged Koreans identified the national pension as their primary safety net for life after retirement, according to figures released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics, Monday.

The figure rose to 61 percent from 51.7 percent a decade ago, showing that people in the age group are becoming more dependent on the state-run pension program rather than private pensions or other means of post-retirement support.

The data was based on analysis of 10 years of responses from people aged 40 to 64 collected through the ministry’s annual survey.

According to the data, awareness of post-career financial security grew between 2015 and 2025 among this demographic, driven by a rapidly aging population. In 2015, 75.8 percent of the age group said they were actively building or already have a retirement cushion, and the ratio rose to 81.9 percent in 2025.

But a large portion of the cushion was from the national pension, as reliance on the state pension grew by almost 10 percentage points, while alternative means experienced a decline as reliance on private pension services fell from 11.7 percent to 5.4 percent. Savings, installment savings and savings-type insurance also declined from 19.9 percent to 14.7 percent.

Park, a 44-year-old office worker living in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, said he considers the national pension the main part of his retirement planning.

“My national pension contributions are deducted from my salary automatically every month, so I expect the pension to provide some basic support for my retirement,” he said.

The heavy reliance on the national pension, however, could pose a risk, as the fund is forecast to be depleted due to the rapidly aging population. However, the estimated year of depletion differs among government agencies and institutions: The Ministry of Health and Welfare puts the projected depletion year at 2083, while the Ministry of Planning and Budget expects the fund to run out in 2064 after shifting into a deficit in 2048, and the National Assembly Budget Office projects that the fund will enter a deficit in 2050 and be exhausted by 2069.

But the data does not necessarily mean that middle-aged people are relying solely on the national pension for retirement preparation, as the survey respondents were limited to selecting a single primary method among several options, according to a ministry official.

“Individuals often maintain multiple financial vehicles simultaneously,” the official said. “In other words, respondents see the state pension as the main part of their retirement plans, not their only source of retirement income.”

Park added, “I have a lot of immediate expenses, including my children’s education costs, so it is difficult to put a large amount into a private pension. But I don’t think the national pension alone will be enough to cover my living expenses after retirement, so I keep making small contributions to my individual retirement pension (IRP).”

An IRP is a type of private pension account, and account holders can make regular contributions and start receiving the money as a pension after age 55.

Fear of job insecurity persists

In contrast to heightened retirement planning, employment insecurity remains widespread. The data showed that 55.8 percent of middle-aged workers in 2025 expressed anxiety over job security, including fears of layoffs or unwanted career changes. Although the figure was down from 61 percent a decade ago, more than half still experience workplace unease.

The ministry official stressed, however, that this psychological stress does not always align with economic statistics. “Job vulnerability is a subjective perception. Even well-positioned employees experience distress amid rapid industry shifts and pressure from younger workers,” he noted.

Yoon, a 51-year-old office worker holding a stable and sought-after position in Seoul’s Yeouido, admitted to persistent career anxiety.

“Many companies in the industry offer early retirement programs to cut costs, so I worry about whether I can stay until the official retirement age,” Yoon said. “Even if I make it to retirement age, I still worry about how I will make a living after retirement in an aging society.”

Societal expectations regarding support for older people have evolved as well.

Asked where public intervention is most needed, 34.4 percent of respondents cited retirement income subsidies, followed by medical and caregiving services at 30.3 percent. Notably, demand for medical and caregiving services saw the largest increase over the decade, rising 11.4 percentage points from 18.9 percent in 2015.

A parallel shift is evident in family care dynamics. The conviction that caring for elderly parents should be a joint responsibility among family, the state and society surged from 49 percent to 65 percent, whereas those viewing it strictly as a family obligation fell from 29.8 percent to 16.7 percent.

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韩国统计厅周一发布的数据显示，超过六成的韩国中年人将国民年金视为退休后的主要保障。这一比例从十年前的51.7%上升至61%，而对私人养老金和储蓄的依赖程度则有所下降。数据显示，人们对就业保障的担忧依然存在，对退休、医疗和照护等方面的公共支持需求也在不断增长。

数据基于该部年度调查收集的 40 至 64 岁人群 10 年的调查回复。

表示正在积累或已经拥有退休金的受访者比例从 2015 年的 75.8% 上升到 2025 年的 81.9%。

对私人养老金服务的依赖程度从 11.7% 下降到 5.4%，而储蓄、分期储蓄和储蓄型保险的依赖程度从 19.9% 下降到 14.7%。

该部表示，到 2025 年，55.8% 的中年劳动者对工作保障感到焦虑，低于十年前的 61%。

对医疗和护理服务的需求上升至 30.3%，比 2015 年增长了 11.4 个百分点，65% 的人表示，照顾年迈的父母应该由家庭、国家和社会共同承担。

发布于2026年9月21日下午4:34（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月21日晚上8:19（韩国标准时间）

超过55%的人担心被裁员或被迫改变职业道路。

2023年3月2日，一名市民在首尔钟路区国民年金公团分支机构接受咨询。（韩联社）

韩国数据统计部周一公布的数据显示，超过六成的韩国中年人将国民养老金视为退休后生活的主要保障。

该数字从十年前的 51.7% 上升到 61%，表明该年龄段的人们越来越依赖国家运营的养老金计划，而不是私人养老金或其他退休后支持方式。

该数据基于对该部年度调查中收集的 40 至 64 岁人群 10 年回复的分析。

数据显示，受人口快速老龄化的影响，2015年至2025年间，该年龄段人群对退休后财务保障的意识有所增强。2015年，75.8%的该年龄段人群表示他们正在积极积累或已经拥有退休储蓄，而到2025年，这一比例将上升至81.9%。

但大部分缓冲资金来自国家养老金，对国家养老金的依赖程度增长了近10个百分点，而其他保障手段则有所下降，对私人养老金服务的依赖程度从11.7%下降到5.4%。储蓄、分期储蓄和储蓄型保险的占比也从19.9%下降到14.7%。

居住在京畿道城南市的44岁上班族朴先生表示，他认为国民年金是他退休计划的主要部分。

他说：“我的国家养老金缴款每月都会从我的工资中自动扣除，所以我希望养老金能为我的退休生活提供一些基本保障。”

然而，过度依赖国民养老金可能构成风险，因为人口快速老龄化预计会导致该基金耗尽。不过，各政府机构对基金耗尽年份的预测不一：卫生福利部预计基金将于2083年耗尽；计划预算部预计该基金将在2048年出现赤字后于2064年耗尽；而国会预算办公室则预测该基金将在2050年出现赤字，并在2069年耗尽。

但据一位部委官员称，这些数据并不一定意味着中年人完全依靠国家养老金来准备退休，因为调查对象只能从几个选项中选择一个主要方法。

这位官员表示：“个人通常会同时持有多种金融工具。换句话说，受访者将国家养老金视为其退休计划的主要部分，而不是唯一的退休收入来源。”

朴女士补充道：“我有很多眼前的开支，包括子女的教育费用，所以很难拿出大笔钱来购买私人养老金。但我认为单靠国民养老金不足以支付我退休后的生活开支，所以我一直在向我的个人退休金账户（IRP）缴纳少量资金。”

个人退休金计划 (IRP) 是一种私人退休金账户，账户持有人可以定期缴款，并在 55 岁以后开始领取养老金。

对工作不安全的担忧依然存在

与日益重视的退休规划形成鲜明对比的是，就业不安全感依然普遍存在。数据显示，到2025年，55.8%的中年劳动者对工作保障感到焦虑，包括担心被裁员或被迫改变职业方向。尽管这一比例较十年前的61%有所下降，但仍有超过半数的人在职场中感到不安。

然而，该部官员强调，这种心理压力并不总是与经济统计数据相符。“就业脆弱性是一种主观感受。即使是那些地位显赫的员工，在行业快速变革和年轻员工的压力下，也会感到焦虑不安。”他指出。

51岁的尹先生是首尔汝矣岛的一名上班族，拥有一份稳定且令人向往的工作，但他承认自己一直有职业焦虑。

尹先生说：“业内很多公司为了降低成本都提供提前退休计划，所以我担心自己能不能坚持到法定退休年龄。即使我能坚持到退休年龄，我也担心在老龄化社会中退休后该如何谋生。”

社会对老年人支持的期望也随之发生了变化。

当被问及最需要公共干预的领域时，34.4%的受访者选择了退休收入补贴，其次是医疗和护理服务，占比30.3%。值得注意的是，过去十年中，对医疗和护理服务的需求增幅最大，从2015年的18.9%上升了11.4个百分点。

家庭照护观念也出现了类似的转变。认为赡养年迈父母应是家庭、国家和社会共同责任的人数比例从49%跃升至65%，而认为这仅仅是家庭义务的人数比例则从29.8%下降至16.7%。

越来越多的韩国年轻人将股票和债券视为退休养老的保障。

LG人工智能研究院与国民年金公团携手管理退休基金