The National Pension Service (NPS) has stated that the rights of foreigners should not be discriminated against based on nationality, regarding the recently controversial retroactive contribution system for foreign nationals.

Kim Sung-joo, Chairman of the National Pension Service, posted an article titled "The Purpose, Problems, and Supplementary Measures of the National Pension Retroactive Contribution System" on his social media yesterday (the 30th), expressing his stance on the controversy surrounding retroactive contributions by foreigners.

Chairman Kim stated that retroactive contributions by foreigners should not be restricted simply based on nationality.

Kim said, "Anyone working at a workplace in Korea, regardless of whether they are a Korean national or a foreigner, is required to pay national pension and national health insurance premiums," adding, "Our citizens also receive the same obligations and benefits overseas."

At the same time, based on the number of applications for retroactive contributions by foreigners in the first half of this year, he warned against discussions on institutional improvement spreading into controversies over the exclusion of specific countries.

He explained, "Looking at it by country, ethnic Koreans from China accounted for 792 cases, or 79.7%, followed by China at 6.4%, the United States at 4.7%, and Japan at 3%," adding, "Eighty percent of all foreign retroactive contribution cases were ethnic Koreans from China."

He pointed out, "Ultimately, restricting retroactive contributions by foreigners leads to the question of whether it is acceptable under public sentiment for ethnic Koreans from China to receive the same level of social security benefits as domestic citizens."

However, he suggested that certain restrictions could be placed on methods where individuals pay premiums for only a short period and then retroactively pay for a long past enrollment period, such as the recently controversial case of "paying for 1 month and retroactively contributing for 119 months."

Previously, equity controversies arose as foreign subscribers with just one month of payment history could lump-sum pay up to 119 months' worth and fulfill the 10-year minimum enrollment period required to receive old-age pensions, under a retroactive contribution system that was originally introduced to close retirement blind spots for vulnerable groups such as career-break homemakers.

(Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Hong Jin-young | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News | Video Source: National Pension Service Chairman Kim Sung-joo's SNS)