South Korea officially recognized as a "very ancient society"
South Korea has officially been classified as a "very old society" as the proportion of people aged 65 and older exceeds 20 percent of the total population, the country's Ministry of Internal Affairs announced.
According to the ministry, South Korea's total population is 51.22 million, of which 10.24 million are elderly. Based on this indicator, the country's demographic situation requires more serious measures.
In 2008, the number of elderly people in the country was 4.94 million, while by 2019, the proportion of the population over 65 years old had exceeded 15 percent. At the beginning of 2023, this figure was 19.05 percent and has reached more than 20 percent this year.
According to the United Nations, countries with more than 7 percent of their population over the age of 65 are classified as "aging societies," those with more than 14 percent as "old societies," and those with more than 20 percent as "very old societies."
South Korea also remains one of the countries with the lowest birth rates in the world. In 2023, the fertility rate was 0.72, which is associated with social and economic problems. Experts point to the living conditions and difficulties with work of the younger generation as the reason for the decline in the birth rate.
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