How South Koreans became younger overnight? South Koreans have gained a year or two in age, thanks to a new rule that matches the country’s two traditional age-counting techniques with worldwide standards.
The law abolishes a traditional approach that determined South Koreans were one year old at birth by counting time spent in the womb.
Another counted everyone as maturing by a year on January 1st, rather than their birthdays.
How South Koreans became younger overnight?
On Wednesday, the transition to age-counting based on birth date went into effect.
When President Yoon Suk Yeol ran for office last year, he made a strong case for change. He claimed that traditional age-counting methods had “unnecessary social and economic costs.”
Disputes have arisen, for example, over insurance payouts and establishing eligibility for government aid programmes.
Previously, the most widely used calculation method in Korea was the centuries-old “Korean age” system, in which a person turns one at birth and gains a year on 1 January. This means a baby born on 31 December will be two years old the next day.
A separate “counting age” system, which was also traditionally used in the country, considers a person zero at birth and adds a year on 1 January.
This means that, for example, as of 28 June 2023, a person born on 29 June 2003 is 19 under the international system, 20 under the “counting age” system, and 21 under the “Korean age” system.
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Last December, lawmakers opted to abandon standard counting procedures.
Despite the change, many existing statutes that use the “counting age” calendar year approach to calculate a person’s age will continue in effect. South Koreans, for example, can buy smoke and alcohol from the year – not the day – they turn 19.
According to a poll conducted by the local firm Hankook Research in January 2022, three out of every four South Koreans support standardizing.
Some, such as Jeongsuk Woo, believe the reform will aid in the breakdown of Korea’s hierarchical culture.
“There is a subconscious layer of ageism in people’s behavior. This is evident even in the complex language system based on age… I hope the abolition of the ‘Korean age’ system and the adaptation of the international standard get rid of old relics of the past,” said the 28-year-old content creator.
Another resident Hyun Jeong Byun said: “I love it because now I’m two years younger. My birthday is in December, so I always felt like this Korean age system is making me socially older than I actually am.
“Now that Korea is following the global standard, I no longer have to explain my ‘Korean age’ when I go abroad.”
According to the 31-year-old doctor, South Korea’s medical sector has already adopted the international age system.
Other East Asian countries used to utilize traditional age-counting procedures, but most have abandoned them.
Japan adopted the international standard in 1950, followed by North Korea in the 1980s.
