The South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare stated on 2026-04-03 that it is reviewing comprehensive improvements to the national pension catch-up payment system. ^[1] President Lee Jae-myung ordered a comprehensive review of all public subsidy programs to identify institutional loopholes that contradict common sense and principles of fairness. ^[2] President Lee Jae-myung stated on 2026-03-03 that the National Pension Service allows foreigners to receive pensions after contributing for only one month. ^[3] A proposal was presented to shorten the maximum catch-up payment period from 119 months to prevent individuals with short employment histories from securing the 10-year minimum requirement for pension eligibility. ^[4] Proposed reforms include linking the catch-up payment period to the actual duration of insurance premium payments to prevent domestic citizens from using the system for financial arbitrage. ^[5] The current national pension catch-up payment system allows individuals to pay back premiums for periods of non-contribution, such as leave or unemployment, for a maximum of 119 months. ^[6] President Lee Jae-myung argued that granting the Basic Pension to those who acquired citizenship only one month prior, despite poor income or asset qualifications, is perceived as unreasonable discrimination against diligent Korean taxpayers. ^[7] President Lee Jae-myung noted that the Basic Pension system also faces criticism for granting benefits based solely on income and asset requirements without considering nationality or duration of residence. ^[8]