Korean Presentation Materials from the 2013 Second Korea–Sweden Low Fertility and Aging Forum

On September 9, 2013, Jin Young, Minister of Health and Welfare of Korea, and Ulf Kristersson, Sweden's Minister for Social Security in the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (who is, at the time of this writing, the Prime Minister of Sweden),  attended the "Second Korea–Sweden Low Fertility and Aging Forum." Included below are the presentation materials of Yoon Seok-myung, Director of the Pension Center at the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA), who participated as a Korean presenter and emphasized the necessity of constructing a multi-tier income security system.

This item relates to Yoon Seok-myung's Perspective column, "Sweden, which is strict about fiscal deficits… Korea, which is indifferent to national debt."

"Following the publication of 『The Swedish Paradox』, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on health and welfare cooperation between Korea and Sweden was concluded on September 9, 2013, and a pension-related forum was held at the Seoul Press Center. After keynote addresses by Minister Jin Young of Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare and Minister for Social Security Ulf Kristersson of Sweden's Ministry for Social Security, two presenters from each side delivered presentations.

As one of the Korean presenters at the time, the author found Minister Kristersson's keynote address and the presentation by Director-General Odmark of the Social Insurance Agency particularly impressive—owing to the minister's remarkably deep knowledge of pensions and the director-general's expert-level presentation. Subsequently, during a dinner at the Swedish Ambassador's residence in Seongbuk-dong, Seoul, then-Ambassador Lars Danielsson came and sat beside the author. Seizing the opportunity to satisfy his curiosity, the author asked, "How is it that the minister possesses such profound knowledge of the pension field—is he a specialist by background?" The reply was, "He is a politician," and that this was the result of his having grown up receiving systematic training within the party from an early age."

https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/25118259