South Korea Welfare Ministry Plans National Pension Fund Portfolio Review to Manage Currency Volatility
The Welfare Ministry will review the National Pension Fund portfolio to balance returns and currency stability. This follows a rally in domestic stocks.
洞察:
South Korea 
KRWelfare Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong jeong eun kyeongannounced on January 26, 2026, that the ministry will review and discuss improvements to the National Pension Fund's investment portfolio. Speaking at a management committee meeting, Jeong Eun-kyeongexplained that the review is a response to heightened currency market volatility and a recent unprecedented rise in the domestic stock market, represented by the KOSPI Index . This initiative is part of an ongoing policy coordination effort in South Koreato balance the fund's pursuit of high returns with the goal of maintaining foreign exchange stability.
KRWelfare Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong jeong eun kyeongannounced on January 26, 2026, that the ministry will review and discuss improvements to the National Pension Fund's investment portfolio. Speaking at a management committee meeting, Jeong Eun-kyeongexplained that the review is a response to heightened currency market volatility and a recent unprecedented rise in the domestic stock market, represented by the KOSPI Index . This initiative is part of an ongoing policy coordination effort in South Koreato balance the fund's pursuit of high returns with the goal of maintaining foreign exchange stability.As the third-largest public pension fund in the world, the National Pension Fund exerts significant influence over the US Dollar / South Korean Won exchange rate. For several years, the fund has increased its overseas investments to seek higher returns, which raises demand for the dollar in the onshore currency market. As of the end of October 2025, the fund held total assets of 1,427.7 trillion won, or approximately 991.31 billion dollars. Overseas assets accounted for 58 percent of the total portfolio at that time.
