Korea starts using int'l age system, but exceptions remain

Legal age for drinking, smoking remains based on existing system

(Ministry of Government Legislation/The Korea Herald)

South Korea will scrap its traditional method of counting age -- known as "Korean age" -- and adopt the internationally recognized system beginning Wednesday, but there will be a few exceptions, including the legal age for drinking and smoking.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced Tuesday that although Korea will adopt international age, the legal age to drink alcohol and buy tobacco will remain calculated based on the existing method.

In Korea, people can buy alcohol or tobacco from Jan. 1 of the year in which they are set to turn 19 according to the international system. The Youth Protection Act defines a "juvenile" as any person under the age of 19. According to this system, those born in 2004, regardless of their specific birth months, are eligible to buy such products this year.

“The ministry will closely cooperate with the relevant ministries to enhance education and promotional activities in order to establish a culture of using the international age system and being aware of other exceptions unaffected by the change,” the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said.

Similarly, this old method that calculates age based on the year of birth ― and does not take into account the day or month a person was born ― will remain in place on some other occasions, including when entering elementary schools, enlisting in the military, and taking public servant examinations.

Currently, children enter elementary schools from March 1 of the year after they turn 6 in the international age system, regardless of their birthday and this system will remain. The eligible age to test for public servant examinations, and the age for Korean men to enlist in the military are other exceptions will also be unaffected by the change. Therefore, those born in 2004, regardless of their birth months, are eligible to undergo a conscription examination this year. Also, those born in 2005 are qualified to test for public official examinations for grade 8 or lower.

Three age systems have been used in Korea: so-called "Korean age," in which people are considered one year old at birth; the international system; and a system in which an individual grows one year older on Jan. 1.

The internationally recognized system was adopted after the National Assembly approved a revision of the relevant law in December. The revised law stipulates the use of the international age system across all judicial and administrative areas.

According to the Ministry of Government Legislation, international age will be used in most legal and social circumstances, such as in contracts and official documents, unless a different way of counting age is specified.

Korea adopting international age to replace Korean age was one of President Yoon Suk Yeol's campaign pledges, which he said was needed to reduce unnecessary costs and confusion.

By Lee Jaeeun(jenn@heraldcorp.com)