• 한국사회정책
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.279-303
• /
• 2018

Since the introduction of the Riester Pension Scheme, the controversy has continued in the policy studies and the political debates. This study evaluates the achievements and limitations of the German Riester pension scheme and tries to derive policy implications for South Korea. As a result of the analysis, the most worthwhile achievement of the Riester Pension is to strengthen the role of the private pension schemes. Unlike other private pension schemes, it included a large part of lower income households. It also opened a new perspective of utilizing private pension schemes to accomplish the goals of the family policy. Despite these attainments, it does not reach the promised coverage rate. It also was revealed that the higher income households have concluded more Riester Pension Contracts than the targeted lower-income households. Due to high administration fee and incomplete information problems, benefit levels are supposed to be much lower than expected. It concludes, above all, despite some achievements, the Riester Pension Scheme will not fill completely the gap of old age income security caused by the reduction of the public pension system. The German case provides fruitful lessons for Korea. The introduction of a subsidized personal pension scheme in South Korea can be realized only when some prerequisites would be satisfied such as the consolidation and maturing of public pension schemes and the strengthening of the transparency in the private pension market.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
• /
• v.48
• /
• pp.7-41
• /
• 2002

This paper analyses the proposals contained in the British Government Green Paper, A New Contract for Welfare: Partnership in Pensions for low paid workers and the potential of the new rules to guarantee a decent income in old age. The UK pension system is a partnership between the State(providing the basic state pension and the SERPS), employers(providing occupational pension scheme) and private pension providers(providing personal pensions). Although the system needs to change, this partnership remains the right foundation. However, the pension Green Paper proposes substantial changes to second tier pension provision in the UK. In particular, the Government plans to replace the SERPS with a new State Second Pension. According to the Green Paper, this will result in "dramatically better pension provision for those earning less than ${\pounds}9,000$ a year" and through increased payments to private pension schemes, will also provide "extra help to those on middle incomes(${\pounds}9,000-{\pounds}18,500$ a year). Therefore, it discusses the general principles inherent in the design of the British pension system and analyses the balance of these principles is represented in the Green Paper. The paper then examines how the Government's proposals protect individuals from a means-tested old age. This paper finds that the Green paper's proposals add up to reinventing a new two-stage basic pension. However, two key features of a such a basic pension package are missing- an 'adequate' level of payment and comprehensive entitlement. Because of these missing principles we argue that the Green Paper's proposals incorporate for the low paid. The income from the basic pension and the secondary pension which is so near the means-tested minimum that little is gained in retirement from a lifetime of work and contribution. Indeed, the shift away from collective provision and the emphasis on individual responsibility will reinforce this inequality, so that many poor will continue to experience poverty in later life.