Health and Welfare Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong (second from right) holds a pre-briefing on the ministry's second-half work plan at Government Complex Sejong on Wednesday. [Ministry of Health and Welfare]
Health and Welfare Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong (second from right) holds a pre-briefing on the ministry's second-half work plan at Government Complex Sejong on Wednesday. [Ministry of Health and Welfare]

The government plans to overhaul the basic pension system, shifting from a flat-rate payment to a tiered structure that gives more to lower-income seniors. A detailed reform plan is expected to be announced in the second half of this year.

Health and Welfare Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong said Friday on KBS Radio's "Jeongyeok Sisa" that the current system — under which 70 percent of all seniors receive the same 350,000 won ($235) per month — does little to address elderly poverty. "We are also concerned that people who are relatively high-income are still receiving the basic pension," she said, explaining the rationale for the reform.

Under the current system, the government pays a fixed monthly basic pension to seniors aged 65 and older who fall within the bottom 70 percent of the income distribution. As the elderly population has grown, however, the payment threshold has risen steadily, prompting calls for a structural overhaul.

Jeong said the principle of giving more to lower-income seniors has been confirmed, adding that the government is reviewing a shift away from the current relative-ranking eligibility criterion toward one based on the standard median income. "This issue requires consultation with the National Assembly's special pension committee and broad social consensus," she said. "We will present a reform proposal in the second half of the year and gather wide-ranging opinions before making a final decision."

Youth income support measures are also being explored, with a pilot project targeted for next year, though nothing has been finalized. The minister said the government is still researching a range of alternatives.

"We are gathering views through expert forums and outreach to young people to build an income and asset safety net," Jeong said. Options under review range from providing a universal allowance to offering income support for participation in socially valuable activities. The government aims to conduct intensive discussions in the second half of the year, with a pilot project targeted for as early as next year.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare struck a cautious note, however, saying it is still at the stage of researching and reviewing various income-security measures and that no decision has been made on whether to introduce a youth participation income scheme.

Jeong also addressed the abortion pill mifepristone, which the president recently mentioned, stressing the need to legalize it domestically and establish a safety management framework.

"Because women currently obtain the drug through unofficial channels, their health is being seriously threatened by counterfeit pills and misuse," Jeong said. "Legalization is necessary to guarantee safe administration — including ultrasound examinations to confirm pregnancy and rule out ectopic pregnancy."

She added that the government is preparing on two fronts in anticipation of the drug receiving approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety: developing clinical guidelines for use in medical institutions, and establishing a safety management system to govern its use.


won@heraldcorp.com