The Business Press – June 27, 2023 at 03:30PM
South Korea will begin using international standards for age counting, making everyone a year younger starting tomorrow. The traditional Korean age-counting system, which includes counting time spent in the womb, has caused confusion both domestically and abroad.
All judicial and administrative areas in the country will now use the international calendar age, aligning with global norms. The National Assembly passed the new law last year, and President Yoon Suk Yeol, who ran for office last year, pushed for the change.
It is important to note that South Koreans will not need to update any documents or IDs, as the age used for government forms is already based on the international system, just like it is for retirement, receiving a pension, and voting. However, mandatory military service and school admissions follow the calendar age system based on the year of birth.
The move towards adopting international standards has been largely backed by public opinion, with three-quarters of Koreans supporting the change according to a January 2022 poll by Hankook Research. South Korea is the only major country that has been counting newborns as one year old, causing confusion in social settings and the workplace where age hierarchies are considered significant.
The Business Press 