South Korea released its 2025 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Implementation Report on Monday, revealing progress in renewable energy, education and healthcare — but exposing structural weaknesses in poverty, inequality and environmental sustainability. South Korea’s relative poverty rate stands at 14.9%, but the elderly poverty rate remains high at 39.8% — the highest among Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Suicide rates rose by 8.5% in 2023, while the share of the population with inadequate nutritional intake climbed to 17.9%.

The report comes just days after the National Assembly passed the first National Pension Act reform in 18 years. The reform raises the pension contribution rate from 9% to 13% over eight years and increases the income replacement rate to 43% from 41.5%. Additional measures include expanding pension credits for military service and childbirth, along with government-backed guarantees for pension payouts.