Teenagers are left out of discussions about national pension

As a national pension reform fell through in the 21st National Assembly, adding more burden to future generations, it was revealed on Friday that teenagers who will carry the burden of high pension premiums 30 years later were not included once in dozens of public hearings held over the past two years.

Since August 2022, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has conducted 24 focus group interview (FGI) sessions with stakeholders of the national pension. However, all interviewees were adults, including labor union members and the employees of the National Pension Service. A 100-page FGI report did not mention children, adolescents, or kids at all. All respondents of the ministry’s survey of 2,000 people and a deliberative poll of 500 citizens conducted by the National Assembly’s special committee on national pension reform were over 18.

According to The Dong-A Ilbo’s interviews with 10 teenagers aged between 12 and 17, including four members of the General Assembly of Children in South Korea, conducted from Friday to Wednesday, the respondents made an argument that the unbalanced discussion structure led by adults caused unfavorable results for future generations. “It is senseless to postpone reform or claim to ‘receive more’ while worrying about the fund's depletion,” said 18-year-old Kim Min-jae. “It seems like the adults who will soon receive pension benefits came up with a distorted conclusion.” “It is adults’ responsibility to explain to us what kind of burden we will bear,” said 14-year-old Jeong Ah-yoon.


김수현 기자 newsoo@donga.com