"68% of National Pension Subscribers Oppose Corporate Control Through Pension Funds"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hye-young] Amid growing concerns over the National Pension Service's shareholder derivative lawsuits, it has been revealed that 7 out of 10 pension subscribers hold a negative view of the National Pension Service being used as a tool for government control over companies.

The Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) announced on the 26th that it conducted a survey on the perception of the National Pension Service among 800 subscribers through the polling agency Mono Research from the 22nd to 23rd, yielding these results.

According to the survey, 67.6% of respondents agreed with the statement, "The National Pension Service should not be used as a means for government control over companies." Those who disagreed accounted for 19.6%, indicating that opposition to the National Pension Service's involvement in corporate management was about three times higher than support, the FKI explained.

Opinions were divided on whether the National Pension Service's active exercise of shareholder rights helps secure the public's retirement.

47.8% of respondents answered that "the National Pension Service's active interference in corporate management through shareholder rights does not help secure the public's retirement." Meanwhile, 41.7% said it does help, and 10.5% responded with "don't know" or did not answer.

The FKI analyzed that "it appears that more people feel burdened by the recent moves of the National Pension Service to actively pursue shareholder derivative lawsuits against executives."

Regarding the ultimate purpose of the National Pension Fund's management, 85.3% answered "securing the public's retirement." Only around 3% cited "interference in corporate management" (3.9%) and "stimulating the stock market and economy" (3.3%).

As the top priority for the National Pension Service, respondents chose "strengthening expertise to improve fund management returns" (44.4%), "independence from government influence" (18.5%), and "reforming the National Pension Service to contribute more and receive less" (14.6%). "Strengthening interference in corporate management" was selected by 5.6%.

Yoo Hwan-ik, head of the FKI's Industrial Headquarters, said, "What subscribers expect from the National Pension Service is the sustainability of the pension through improved returns. Strengthening shareholder rights runs counter to these expectations, and the pursuit of shareholder derivative lawsuits by the National Pension Service should be reconsidered."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.