The South Korean government is moving forward with a policy overhaul that would recognize the entire duration of military service as eligible periods for the National Pension subscription.

On the 16th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare outlined its policy priorities and implementation plans to the National Assembly, stating its ultimate goal is to fully recognize military service in calculating pension eligibility. Under the revised National Pension Act passed last March, up to 12 months of military service (previously a minimum of 6 months) will count towards pension coverage starting next year. Building on this, the government now intends to include the full duration—currently 18 months for the Army and 21 months for the Air Force—as recognized contribution periods.

To realize this, the government has committed to amending relevant laws by the first half of 2026, with the new rules to be fully implemented from the first half of 2028.

This policy is designed to address the gap in pension coverage among younger men, many of whom see their pension contributions interrupted while serving in the military. Currently, only 24.3% of those aged 18-24 are enrolled in the National Pension Scheme. Delays in joining the workforce due to prolonged education or job preparation aggravate this problem, often resulting in reduced pension payouts, with some estimates warning of potential future income reductions exceeding 30%.

The plan has attracted support from advocacy groups, such as the Civil Action for the Strengthening of Public Pension, which recently submitted a reform proposal to the government. The group strongly urged the expansion of the Military Service Credit system, arguing that full credit for mandatory service is critical in ensuring adequate old-age security.

Meanwhile, even before this reform, previous conscripts could utilize the "Military Service Retroactive Payment" system, which allows them to pay back contributions for their service period after discharge. However, the uptake has been extremely low, with only 0.055% of eligible individuals applying over the past 22 years.

Experts commented, “The dedication of young people to national service should not translate into future insecurity. The government’s initiative to recognize the full period of military service under the National Pension must proceed without delay to build a strong safety net, allowing young Koreans to plan their futures confidently.”

Note “This article was translated from the original Korean version using AI assistance, and subsequently edited by a native-speaking journalist.”

Photo=Yonhap News