[2022 National Audit] Only '1%' Applied for National Pension Payment Deferral in Special Disaster Areas... "Practical Support Needed"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] It has been revealed that only about 1% of eligible disaster victims utilize the system that allows for a temporary exemption from National Pension contributions when a special disaster area is declared due to natural disasters such as typhoons.

According to data submitted by the National Pension Service to Choi Yeon-guk, a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee from the People Power Party, among 74,231 disaster victims classified as eligible for National Pension contribution exemption since 2018, only 986 people (1.3%) applied for support.

The number of eligible individuals by year was 13,175 in 2018, 26,342 in 2019, and 34,714 in 2020, but the number of applicants was only 332, 243, and 411 respectively. Last year, there were no eligible individuals for contribution exemption in special disaster areas, and this year, 58,468 people affected by the heavy rains in August are being identified as eligible for exemption support.

Assembly member Choi Yeon-sook stated, "Those affected by disasters likely need direct support such as premium assistance rather than indirect support like National Pension contribution deferral," adding, "To provide substantial support rather than just symbolic gestures to disaster victims, it is necessary to consider partial premium support for the National Pension as well."

According to data submitted by the National Health Insurance Service to Assembly member Choi, during the same period, a total of 57,737 households received health insurance premium reductions, with support amounting to 2.37289 billion KRW.

Currently, National Pension premium support programs include Durunuri support, unemployment credit support, agricultural and fishery workers' premium support, and regional subscriber premium support, which started in July this year.