Discussions of Korea's national pension usually stop at "how much do I pay, how much do I get." But life brings other situations. What happens to the pension after a divorce, or the death of a spouse?
Two schemes exist: divided pension and survivor pension. Neither arrives automatically, and missing the deadline destroys the right entirely.
Deadlines matter most
· Divided pension: claim within five years of the right arising
· Just divorced? File an advance claim within three years of the divorce taking effect
1. Divided pension — splitting after divorce
Pension accrued during a marriage is treated as jointly built, so it can be divided on divorce.
Four requirements, all needed
| ① Divorce | You must be divorced from the former spouse |
| ② Marriage length | 5+ years of marriage within their contribution period |
| ③ Former spouse | Must be an old-age pension recipient |
| ④ Your age | You must reach your birth-year eligibility age |
Requirement ④ creates the delay — divorce alone doesn't start payments. Hence the advance claim matters.
How much?
- Normally half of the portion attributable to the marriage (excluding dependent allowances).
- For rights arising after December 30, 2016, the ratio can be set differently by agreement or court order.
- The agreement or judgment must use explicit pension terminology to be recognised.
Separation periods are excluded. Following a Constitutional Court decision, time when the marriage existed only on paper is removed from the calculation.
Useful features
- Remarriage doesn't cancel it.
- It stacks with your own old-age pension.
- Multiple divorces can each qualify.
- ⚠️ It works both ways — your former spouse can claim against your pension too.
- The large majority of recipients are women, as it converts homemaking years into pension rights.
2. Survivor pension
| Priority | Recipient |
| 1st | Spouse (including de facto) |
| 2nd | Children (under 25, or disability criteria) |
| 3rd | Parents (60+, or disability criteria) |
| 4th | Grandchildren (under 19, or disability criteria) |
| 5th | Grandparents (60+, or disability criteria) |
The amount is based on the deceased's basic pension, rising with their contribution years, plus dependent allowances. Confirm exact figures with the National Pension Service (1355).
⚠️ Spouses face a suspension after three years. Payments run for three years, then pause until a set age: 56 for those born 1953–56, 57 for 1957–60, 58 for 1961–64, 59 for 1965–68, and 60 from 1969 onward.
Exceptions: spouses meeting disability criteria, or those supporting a child under 25, are not suspended.
Without knowing this, people believe the pension was cancelled. It wasn't — it resumes at the specified age.
3. When rights overlap
| Own pension + survivor pension | Adjusted — choose the better option |
| Own pension + divided pension | Both payable |
That's the key difference: divided pensions stack, survivor pensions are adjusted.
4. Applying
| Where | National Pension Service branches (visit, post, fax); some online |
| Divided pension documents | ID, marriage and divorce records, bank details, any agreement or judgment |
| Survivor pension documents | ID, death certificate, family relation records, bank details |
| Enquiries | Call 1355 (free) |
5. Easy things to miss
- Specify pension division in the divorce agreement if you want a non-standard ratio.
- Use the advance claim within three years — it protects you when contact is later lost.
- Five years extinguishes the right. Ask before assuming it's too late.
- De facto spouses may qualify for survivor pension, but the relationship must be proven.
- Survivor pension rights can end on remarriage.
FAQ
We divorced long ago — still possible?
The five years run from when the right arises. If you haven't reached eligibility age, the clock may not have started — ask the service.
My former spouse isn't drawing a pension yet.
They must be an old-age pension recipient first, so you may need to wait.
Does it reduce their pension?
Yes — the divided portion is deducted from theirs.
Can I receive survivor and basic pension together?
The basic pension is separate, subject to income and asset tests — pension income counts toward those (basic pension rules).
Neither pension arrives on its own. The divided pension in particular expires — if it might apply, make the call today.
This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Requirements and amounts depend on contribution history and family circumstances — confirm with the National Pension Service (1355).
