Korea Reviews Easing 70% Rule on Pension Risky Assets to Boost Returns

*Editor's Note: 'AI PRISM' (Personalized Report & Insight Summarizing Media) is a 'customized news recommendation and summary service based on artificial intelligence (AI)' developed with support from the Korea Press Foundation. It selects and provides six customized news articles for each reader type.

AI Basic Law Limited to Level 4, Pension 70% Rule Under Review [AI PRISM]

1. High-Impact AI Not Applied Outside Autonomous Driving Level 4

- Key Summary: The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) has limited the scope of high-impact AI to autonomous driving Level 4 and above ahead of the AI Basic Law implementation on the 22nd. High-impact AI is defined as AI that has significant impact on life, physical safety, and fundamental rights protection. Both criteria must be met: falling under one of 10 critical types and operating without human intervention. MSIT plans to prioritize industrial promotion, minimize regulations, and operate an 'AI Basic Law Support Desk' providing customized consulting for SMEs and startups. With reduced regulatory burden on AI tool utilization, new employees should actively learn and use various AI tools such as ChatGPT and Notion AI for work automation and efficiency.

2. "Let's Raise Pension Returns"…Safe Asset 30% Rule Under Review

- Key Summary: As the retirement pension market approaches 500 trillion won, calls are growing to ease the 70% limit on risky asset investment ratios. Under current regulations, pension accounts can hold risky assets up to only 70%, limiting subscriber choice and keeping returns at around 2%, according to analysis. Financial authorities, led by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, are reviewing measures to ease the risky asset ratio, and opinions have been raised that the 'positive' method of listing investable products should be converted to a 'negative' method. New employees should develop pension management strategies for long-term retirement preparation and seek ways to increase returns through appropriate allocation between safe and risky assets.

3. FSC: "Manage Productive Finance with KPIs"

- Key Summary: The FSC has ordered a comprehensive redesign of financial companies' compensation systems and risk-bearing structures to strengthen productive finance. Vice Chairman Kwon Dae-young of the FSC said a comprehensive redesign of compensation and performance management systems, including key performance indicators (KPIs), is needed to make productive finance an organization-wide goal. The financial sector plans to supply 614 trillion won over the next five years, and the insurance industry has announced plans to expand productive finance support worth 36.6 trillion won. New employees should recognize the changing environment where strategic approaches based on long-term investment and industry understanding are becoming more important than short-term performance in the financial sector, and develop relevant capabilities.

4. Beyond Being Number One, Aiming for Excellence…Evolving into AI Healthcare Platform

- Key Summary: Hong Woo-sun, CEO of Ezicare Tech, the No. 1 company in the hospital information system (HIS) field, took office as the first non-medical professional CEO since the company's founding and is focusing on fair pricing and overseas market expansion. After taking office, CEO Hong stopped dumping orders and improved profitability, with operating profit expected to grow 105% year-on-year last year. The company is pursuing evolution into an AI-based 'data healthcare platform' and aims to connect all medical data and technology in one place through cloud-based transition and AI application. New employees can learn that even leading companies can become truly first-class through fair pricing and profitability improvement, and should understand the importance of platform business models and collaborative ecosystem building in the medical IT field.

5. Samsung Biologics Surpasses 2 Trillion Won Operating Profit Without Biosimilars…Opens Door to '5 Trillion Club' This Year

- Key Summary: Samsung Biologics (207940.KS) became the first Korean pharmaceutical and bio company to surpass 2 trillion won in operating profit, achieved through its contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) business alone. The company recorded annual revenue of 4.5569 trillion won and operating profit of 2.0692 trillion won last year, targeting revenue of 5.32 trillion won this year to enter the '5 trillion club.' Restrictions on transactions with Chinese bio companies due to the U.S. Biosecure Act have provided benefits, with cumulative annual orders of approximately 6.8 trillion won recorded last year. New employees should note the growth potential and global competitiveness of the CDMO sector in the bio and pharmaceutical industry, and gaining relevant work experience or increasing understanding of the industry would be advantageous for career development.

6. Jongno and Gangnam Districts Prescribe Most Obesity Drugs…Seodaemun and Seongbuk Districts Minimal

- Key Summary: Obesity treatments Mounjaro and Wegovy were most prescribed in Seoul's Jongno and Gangnam districts, with a total of 913,907 units supplied as of November last year. Seoul accounted for 34.5% of the total, with Jongno at 26.8% and Gangnam at 16.5% within Seoul, while Seodaemun and Seongbuk districts were only 0.9%, showing clear regional disparities. Analysis suggests regional gaps widened as GLP-1 class obesity treatments with limited supply were preferentially allocated to some metropolitan areas with high demand. New employees should understand the importance of drug supply imbalance and market accessibility in the healthcare industry, and recognize the need for equitable supply chain construction in the pharmaceutical and distribution sectors.

January 22, 2026 (Thursday) Page 1 Unboxing [ON AIR Seoul Economy]