[사설] ‘하후상박’ 기초연금 개편, 수급 경계선 사각지대 없어야

The government is expected to soon release plans for revising South Korea's basic pension system, known as "하후상박" pension reform. This reform aims to ease the financial burden while improving the welfare of elderly citizens at risk of poverty. However, the government must carefully design the direction and pace of the reform to avoid placing elderly pension recipients in a social welfare "dead zone."

The core of the reform, as outlined by Health and Welfare Minister Yun Jeong-gyeong during a presidential briefing in July, includes three key aspects: narrowing the selection criteria to the bottom 70% of income, maintaining existing beneficiaries while redesigning the system as a "하후상박" model, and addressing issues of spousal exemption and delayed retirement pension payments.

Currently, basic pension payments of 34 million won per month are provided to those aged 65 or older with incomes below the bottom 70% threshold. With rapid aging, the financial strain on the system is increasing, and concerns have been raised about the rise of "wealthy elderly" who are also receiving basic pension payments. A 2014 KDI study shows that narrowing the selection criteria to the bottom 70% of income could reduce the number of beneficiaries to 57% of elderly citizens by 2070.

As of 2024, 91.2% of elderly pension recipients, totaling 91.2 million, are receiving one of 11 types of pensions, including basic pension and national pension. The average monthly payment is 73 million won, which is 55% of the minimum living expenses for a single person at 133 million won. Narrowing the base of basic pension recipients or limiting the increase in pension payments for higher-income groups could cause shock to the vulnerable elderly at the boundary of the social welfare system.

Moreover, there is a concern that exempting pension-eligible elderly citizens from the system could exclude those who genuinely need government assistance. The 70% income threshold was decided in 2007 after the National Pension Act amendment, reducing the substitution rate from 60% to 40% in exchange for social consensus. However, the government failed to conduct proper public consultation before announcing the reform, and concerns should be addressed before the reform is finalized.

Additionally, the issue of "take and give" basic pension, which cuts living wages to such an extent that it's difficult to expect any income redistribution effect, should be reviewed.