The ruling Saenuri Party is to push ahead with the public sector pension reform plans amid concerns of limited impact and opposition from even within the party.

On Tuesday, the ruling party held a general meeting of its lawmakers in the hopes of bringing the party fully behind the plans.

The plans are said to have fallen short of receiving the party’s full support, but Saenuri Party leader Rep. Kim Moo-sung hopes to convince individual lawmakers in person.

At the meeting, Kim called for lawmakers’ support saying that reforming the government employee pension system was a “historical mission,” and that voters would support the party’s “patriotic decision.”

“(Saenuri Party lawmakers) were in general agreement with the plans,” Rep. Kim Hyun-sook, a member of the taskforce that drew up the measures, said. According to him, the plans were not adopted as the party’s official position only because fewer than two-thirds of the ruling party lawmakers were present.

“(Lawmakers) will be contacted individually so that the plans can be announced as the party’s official position within the day.”

However, the plans have come under fire even from within the party.

Rep. Kim Se-yeon, who heads the Saenuri Party lawmakers’ gathering for economic democratization, questioned its efficacy, claiming that its impact on cutting government spending was exaggerated. The two-term lawmaker also argued that the public sector pension system would again require massive cash injection only a few years down the line.

According to Kim, the government would have to inject about 12.9 trillion won into the system each year by 2080 if the party’s plans are implemented. Under the current system, an annual supplement of 14.4 trillion won is required until 2080 to keep the system going.

“It is expected that (the reform) will include raising civil servants’ severance pay to equal that of the private sector, the cost of which is estimated to be 5 trillion won each year,” Kim said.

“The cost-cutting effect of the reform will only be an illusion, and the pattern of increasing the burden on the government will repeat itself.”

He also argued that the pension system’s role in redistributing wealth falls far short of the National Pension system.

In addition to Kim’s criticism, observers have pointed out that the changes proposed by the Saenuri Party may be overly complicated. Critics add that the measures will have a bigger impact on younger government employees than those with long years of service and those drawing above-average payouts.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)