As twilight divorces increase, divided pension recipients approach 100,000, an 8.5-fold surge in 11 years

Nearly 100,000 individuals in South Korea are now receiving divided pensions following divorce, a significant increase attributed to a rise in "twilight divorces" among those aged 60 and over. The National Pension Service's research institute reported that as of June last year, 99,818 people were beneficiaries of divided pensions. This figure includes 12,327 men and 87,491 women.

The number of divided pension recipients has seen a steady climb, growing from 11,802 in 2014 to 25,582 in 2017 and 43,229 in 2020. The average monthly payout per person has also increased, rising from approximately 184,000 won (about $135) at the end of 2015 to about 290,000 won (about $215) by June of last year. However, a gender disparity exists, with women receiving a higher average monthly amount than men.

Researchers attribute this trend primarily to the increase in divorces among older couples. Statistics Korea data indicates a rise in divorces among those in their 60s. The pension division system allows divorced spouses to claim a portion of their former partner's National Pension, providing financial support in later life. The study also noted that while men generally receive higher individual old-age pensions, women often receive larger divided pension amounts due to this system, as they typically claim from their husbands' pensions.

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Generally, men's old-age pensions are higher, and women receive their divided share from men's pensions.