Replacing the traditional method of counting age with the new laws that require using only international method, South Koreans have became a year or two younger on Wednesday.
Under the traditional age system in South Korea, people are deemed to be a year old at birth and a year is added every January 1. Meaning, under that system everyone gets a year older with the turn of the year rather than on their actual birthday. For example, a baby born on December 31 would be considered two years old on January 1 in Korean age.
China, Japan, and even North Korea dropped the traditional system decades ago but it has endured in the South Korea.
Since the early 1960s, South Korea has used the international norm of calculating from zero at birth and adding a year on every birthday for medical and legal documents. But many South Koreans continued to use the traditional method for everything else.
In December, South Korea passed laws to scrap the traditional method and fully adopt the international standard.
The government hopes the change will ease confusion and cites, for example, the issue of older Koreans who may believe they are eligible for pensions and free travel benefits several years before they legally are.
“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 said on Monday.
According to a government survey conducted in September 2022, 86% of South Koreans said they would use the international age in their everyday life when the new laws took effect.
Another age system exists in South Korea for conscription, school entrance and calculating the legal age to drink alcohol and smoke: a person’s age is calculated from zero at birth and a year is added on Jan. 1. Officials said that method would remain for the time being.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Updated: 29 Jun 2023, 02:48 AM IST
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