국민연금기금의 지속가능성 모색

This paper examines the present operating conditions of the Korean National Pension together with its problems and related improvement plans focusing on the financial sustainability of the Pension fund. First, the National Pension needs to be provided with its long-term financial purpose in operating the Pension fund. The current trend of low fertility and aging society would expectedly cause exhaustion of the Pension fund. Therefore, in addition to adjusting a formula of Pension provision, other solutions seeking financial sustainability would be the increase of comparatively low-level pension contribution and the input of automatic modifying coefficient into the formula. Moreover, the present governance over the Pension fund operation such as National Pension Fund Operation Committee, etc. should be revised to reinforce representativeness and independence as well as professionalism and responsibility in operating the fund. The party who has the biggest interest over the Pension fund would be no other than both the present insured persons and future taxpayers, so the Korean National Assembly should be involved in making the fund operating policy and supervising the fund operation with responsibility. Furthermore, the concept of pension liability should be defined and introduced in the balance sheet of the Pension fund with a view to enhance people’s right to know and to arrange the foundation of discussing the Pension fund’s financial sustainability. About monitoring the Pension fund operation, the National Assembly should play an important role in a way of indicating the members of outer evaluating organization in pursuit of responsibility and professionalism. Besides, the National Pension should narrow blind area arising from not receiving pension in accordance with its original aim of reducing old-age poverty. It also should devise various institutional methods to induce qualified voluntarily insured persons to join the Pension on basis of stronger investigation of grasping incomes. Finally, the operation of the Pension should improve independence, clarity and responsibility of the Pension fund, leading to strengthen national trust.