South Korea’s national pension fund, the world's third-largest investor by total assets, has surpassed 1,500 trillion won ($1.1 trillion), with most of its growth coming from investment returns rather than contributions.
According to the National Pension Service on Wednesday, the fund reached 1,540.4 trillion won as of the end of January 2026.
Nearly two-thirds of the fund’s current assets have been built through investment gains. Since its launch in 1988, cumulative investment returns have reached 1,050.8 trillion won, compared with total contributions of 928.5 trillion won. After pension payouts and other expenses, the remaining principal stands at about 489.6 trillion won.
The strong performance is largely attributed to a more aggressive investment strategy.
In January alone, the fund posted investment gains of 81.5 trillion won.
By asset type, stocks account for the largest share at 58.4 percent, followed by bonds at 26 percent and alternative investments — such as real estate and private equity — at 15.2 percent. Nearly all of the fund — 99.9 percent, or 1,539.3 trillion won — is invested in financial assets.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI. -- Ed.
milaya@heraldcorp.com
