Last year, 80.4 billion won of basic pension was reduced due to recipients also receiving national pension benefits. This represents a three-fold increase over four years.

South Korea's pension system shows a significant reduction in basic pension for those receiving national pension, amounting to 804 billion won, as per the Ministry of Finance's 2025 financial year report. This substantial decrease, nearly three times the size of four years ago, is a result of the interlinked structure between national pension and basic pension.

Critics argue that this linkage may weaken the purpose of pension insurance, which is to ensure a minimum standard of living in old age. According to the Ministry of Finance, the basic pension reduction mechanism is triggered when the pension payout exceeds 150% of the basic pension for a single household, leading to a maximum reduction of 50% in basic pension payments.