기초연금 ‘65살 이상 70%’ 내년도 그대로…저소득층 3만원 더 하후상박

The government has decided to maintain the current structure of paying 70% of 65 years and older seniors the basic pension next year. They will, however, introduce a 'haha sabap' system, categorizing recipients based on income levels. Those in the lowest income bracket will receive more pension, while those in higher income brackets will see their pension effectively decreased.

Critics argue that the practical increase in income for low-income seniors is not significant enough to make this reform viable. The Ministry of Health and Welfare released a '2027 Basic Pension Reform Plan', outlining the changes. Next year, the basic pension will be paid to those over 65 years old whose monthly income is below the 70% threshold.

The selection criteria will be adjusted to be based on the middle-income level, and the target population will be gradually reduced. They are now categorized into three income groups: 0-30% (348,000 recipients), 30-45% (174,000 recipients), and 45-70% (290,000 recipients). The pension amount varies according to these categories.

Those in the lowest income bracket will receive 38,000 won next year, compared to 34,700 won now. The 30-45% group will receive 35,900 won, reflecting the increase in living costs, while the 45-70% group will have their pension frozen at 35,000 won. This change means that those in the 45-70% bracket will experience a real decrease in their income.

The uniform income restriction criteria have been partially relaxed for married couples. The joint reduction rate has been decreased from 20% to 10% for couples in the 0-45% income bracket. Consequently, the monthly pension for couples in the lowest income bracket will increase by about 12,000 won, while those in the 30-45% bracket will see an increase of approximately 8,600 won.

Additionally, couples in the bottom 30% income bracket will receive a pension, which is currently excluded from eligibility. Approximately 11,000 people in this group will now benefit from the basic pension. The basic pension budget for next year will increase to 25.7 trillion won, up from 23.1 trillion won this year, an 11% rise. However, it is uncertain whether this increase can be attributed directly to the reform.