National Pension Service: "Capital Injection Will Follow Once Value-Up Program Is Detailed"

Revealed at the Performance Briefing on the 14th
Last Year's Highest Return Rate of 13.59% Achieved

Lee Seok-won, Head of the Strategy Division at the National Pension Service Fund Management Headquarters, said on the 14th, "We actively support the value-up program to improve the Korea discount (the undervaluation of the Korean stock market)," adding, "However, since no concrete details have been finalized yet, we need to see specific plans before considering capital investment."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

At a press briefing on the performance of the National Pension Fund Management held at the National Pension Service Seoul Northern Regional Headquarters in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Lee responded to a question about 'participation in the value-up program' by saying, "The fund headquarters fundamentally exists to maximize the fund's operational returns." He added, "We are also participating in the (value-up) advisory group, and if it is determined in the future that our directions align, we may participate."

The event was organized to share and explain the performance of the National Pension Service Fund Management Headquarters in 2023. The National Pension Service achieved its highest-ever return rate (13.59%) since the fund's establishment. As of the end of last year, the fund reserves reached 1,035 trillion won. The National Pension Service explained, "1,000 trillion won, based on 50,000 won bills, would stretch 384,000 km," adding, "This is equivalent to circling the Earth 77 times and traveling from the Earth to the Moon eight times one way." This metaphorically expresses the enormous amount of money.

Seo Won-ju, Head of the National Pension Service Fund Management Headquarters, said before the event started, "We continuously expanded the proportion of risky assets and foreign assets, and as a result of diversifying risks through alternative investments, we achieved excellent investment performance with operating profits of 127 trillion won and a return rate of 13.59%." He added, "Going forward, we will continue to monitor risks such as structural changes in various economies and strive to operate stably to improve returns."