76% of Koreans aged 60–74 do not consider themselves elderly — Korea Herald

In South Korea, nearly 76% of respondents aged 60 to 74 said they do not consider themselves elderly. Among respondents aged 60–69, the figure was 83.4%, Korea Herald reports.

Activity and health are decisive

Survey participants most often named the ability to perform everyday tasks as the criterion for old age, with 34.2% giving this answer. Another 26.7% pointed to health status, 24.7% directly to age, and 9.8% to a person’s economic activity.

Perceptions of one’s own age differed depending on well-being and feelings of loneliness. Among those who rated their health as poor, 58.4% did not consider themselves elderly. The same answer was given by 61.2% of respondents who often feel lonely, compared with 75.7% among all survey participants.

They expect opportunities to participate in society

About two-thirds of respondents believe that older people should receive more opportunities to apply their experience and knowledge in society. At the same time, 32.4% preferred an approach under which older people would primarily be protected by the social security system.

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Opinions were divided on readiness for new experiences: 52% said they can learn and try new things, while 48% said they hesitate. People aged 65 and older accounted for more than 20% of the country’s population according to the 2025 census.

The survey was conducted by Opinions, commissioned by the Hankyoreh Economy & Society Research Institute, among 532 people aged 60 to 74 across the country from August 21 to 25. In addition, 85.8% of participants placed responsibility for care in old age on the public sector and local communities, while 14.2% placed it on families.

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea discussed a phased increase in the statutory retirement age, which currently stands at 60. A proposal considered by a party committee in June envisaged raising the age to 61 in 2029 and then by one year every two years, to 65 in 2037.