President Yoon Suk Yeol on September 3 directed a review of the current system that allows individuals to receive basic pensions immediately after acquiring citizenship, provided they meet income and asset requirements. This could lead to the introduction of a minimum residency period as a condition for eligibility.
During a senior secretary meeting at the Blue House, President Yoon stated, "Under the current system, anyone who meets the income and asset criteria can receive a basic pension regardless of when they acquired citizenship." He highlighted a potential issue, saying, "For example, someone who has lived as a foreigner their entire life and later acquires citizenship could receive the same pension immediately upon residency. This is not just a matter of frequency; it is a matter of principle."
He emphasized that such gaps in the system could be perceived as unfair discrimination against the majority of citizens who have diligently fulfilled their tax obligations, regardless of whether there are many or few such cases.
President Yoon noted that many countries providing basic pensions funded by taxes require a certain period of domestic residency as a condition for eligibility. He urged a thorough examination of international examples and domestic research to establish a minimum residency requirement.
The president also addressed the issue of foreigners briefly joining the national pension system and later paying contributions to gain pension rights. He mentioned, "There has been at least one case of an individual who joined for one month and then made retroactive payments for 119 months to receive a pension. There seem to be several cases where individuals have made contributions for a few months and then paid retroactively for a significant period. We need to quickly address these systemic shortcomings."
Additionally, he instructed a comprehensive review of all social security systems and government subsidy programs to identify any institutional loopholes that contradict public common sense and principles of fairness.
In light of recent incidents, President Yoon called for internal reforms and improvements within the police force. He remarked, "Even if many police officers do their best on the ground, a few deviations can create significant gaps in the entire system. We must reassess all processes in handling incidents to ensure there are no flaws in existing practices and systems from the perspective of the public and victims."
He also mentioned the upcoming establishment of the Public Security and Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, urging that there be no gaps in protecting citizens' lives, safety, and rights.
Furthermore, he called for a concerted effort in the search for missing persons following the capsizing of a tugboat off the coast of Busan, ensuring the safety of rescue personnel and establishing accurate accident details and preventive measures.
Lastly, he directed that thorough crowd management and safety measures be prepared for the World Fireworks Festival taking place in Yeouido this weekend.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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