Applications to retroactively pay missed National Pension contributions in South Korea reached 244,329 in 2025, up 76.5% from the previous year and roughly 2.8 times the 2023 low. The system allows subscribers who missed payments during unemployment, business closures or career interruptions to make lump-sum payments later. At least 120 months of contributions are required for monthly old-age pension benefits, and applications have surged again despite the 2020 law restricting recognized retroactive periods to 119 months. Foreign residents’ applications rose 17.4-fold over 10 years, while the number qualifying for old-age pension through retroactive payments increased to 2,250 by June 2026. The government and National Assembly are considering tighter screening, a reciprocity rule and broader structural limits on retroactive payments.