South Koreans Become A Year Or Two Younger As Traditional Age Counting Rule Scrapped

On Wednesday, a significant change took place in South Korea as new laws were passed, mandating the use of the international method of counting age.?

This change has resulted in South Koreans becoming a year or two younger based on the revised age calculation system, which replaces the country's traditional method.

Previously, South Koreans commonly followed a traditional age counting system in their daily lives, where individuals were considered one year old at birth, with an additional year added every January 1st.

However, since the early 1960s, the international standard of age calculation has been utilized in medical and legal documents, starting the count from zero at birth and adding a year on every birthday.?

Despite this, many South Koreans continued adhering to the traditional method for various purposes.

With the implementation of the new laws, South Koreans are now required to utilize the international age-counting method uniformly.?

This change marks a significant shift in the perception of age within the country, impacting various aspects of individuals' lives and interactions, including official records and societal norms.

"We expect legal disputes, complaints, and social confusion that have been caused over how to calculate ages will be greatly reduced,"?Minister of Government Legislation Lee Wan-kyu told a briefing on Monday.

When surveyed by the government in September 2022, a significant majority of South Koreans, precisely 86%, expressed their intention to adopt the international age-counting system in their daily lives once the new laws were implemented.?

According to Choi Hyun-ji, a 27-year-old office worker residing in Seoul,?"I was about to turn 30 next year (under the traditional Korean age system), but now I have some more time to earn, and I love it,"?

"It's just great to feel like getting younger,"?Choi added.

While the new age counting system has been implemented in South Korea, it is essential to note that another age system remains in place for specific purposes, such as conscription, school entrance, and determining the legal age for alcohol consumption and smoking.?

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Under this existing system, a person's age is calculated from zero at birth, with a year being added on January 1st of each year.?

Officials have clarified that this method will continue to be used for the time being in these specific contexts, ensuring consistency and compatibility with existing regulations and requirements.

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