▲ French Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt
The French government said on the 23rd (local time) that it would remain unchanged in its will to delay the start of pension receipt by extending the retirement age from 62 to 64.
Four days ago, more than one million people took to the streets across France to protest pension reform, but protested that it was an inevitable measure to protect the pension system, which is expected to be in deficit.
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Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt said at a briefing held after the cabinet meeting on the 23rd (local time) that the government's reforms are "measures to balance the pension system by 2030".
Minister Dussopt said that the government passed a bill that would raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 and extend the contribution period from 42 to 43 years after deliberation in the Cabinet meeting that day.
The bill aims to increase the retirement age by 3 months each year from September of this year to 64 in 2030, and to increase the period of contributions required to receive 100% pension from 42 to 43 years from 2027.
Minister Dussopt explained that if the reforms prepared by the government pass through parliament as they are, 18 billion euros (about 24 trillion won) can be saved by 2030, giving more people fair benefits.
With the finances secured in this way, the government's plan is to return benefits to existing pensioners as well as new pensioners, such as increasing the minimum pension cap to 1,200 euros (about 1.61 million won) per month.
The government estimates that an estimated 200,000 new retirees annually and 1.8 million pensions, equivalent to 10% of existing retirees currently receiving pensions, will increase by 100 euros (approximately 130,000 won) per month in the future.
(Photo = AFP, Yonhap News, Getty Image Korea)