South Korea’s planned pension increase could be offset by livelihood-benefit cuts for poorest seniors
South Korea’s proposed 2027 basic-pension budget totals 25.65 trillion won, up 11% from the previous year’s first supplementary-budget baseline, with a planned monthly increase of 30,000 won for the lowest-income 30% of seniors. The National Assembly Budget Office warned that recipients also receiving livelihood benefits would see pension increases offset by equivalent benefit cuts under current rules. It urged changes to income calculations; 783,000 seniors received both benefits in 2025.