Some Chinese nationals figured out how to collect a lifetime Korean pension after working in Korea for just one month. South Korea is now closing the loophole.
Korea's pension system let subscribers retroactively pay up to 119 months of contributions in one lump sum. Combined with even one month of actual work, that hit the 120-month minimum for a lifetime pension, payable by bank transfer to China. Dependents(spouse, children under 19, parents 63+) could then be added for extra monthly payments, even if they never lived in Korea.
Among foreign applicants using this method, roughly 86% in 2026 were Chinese nationals. Applications jumped from 43 in 2015 to over 1,500 in 2025. About 2,250 foreigners had secured eligibility this way by mid-2026.
Korea already tightened the rules. A month now only counts if the person actually stayed at least 15 days, verified by entry and exit records. Changes on reciprocity and minimum contribution floors are coming. President Lee said plainly: Korea has no obligation to offer this when other countries don't offer Koreans the same.