National pension fund tops W1,500tr, driven largely by investment gains

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 reac

By The Korea Herald