In Korea, over-70s now outnumber 20-somethings

No. of eligible voters aged 60 and older outnumber those in their 20s and 30s for April general elections

A group of older people play janggi, or Korean chess, near Tapgol Park in Jongno-gu, central Seoul on Wednesday. (Yonhap)

The number of people aged over 70 has surpassed the number of those in their 20s for the first time since national demographics have been compiled, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety on Wednesday.

According to the ministry, as of Dec. 31, 2023, South Korea’s total population was 51.32 million, a 0.22 percent decrease from the year before. The population numbers for those aged 70 and up stood at 6,319,402, while those in their 20s stood at 6,197,486.

Until 2022, the number of people aged above 70 was lower than the number of those in their 20s, with 6.08 million and 6.41 million registered persons respectively. However, in 2023, the number of people aged 70 and above increased by 230,000 compared to the year before, while the number of people in their 20s decreased by about 220,000.

As of 2023, the population numbers for those aged 65 and above added up to 9.73 million -- an increase of 460,000 from 2022. The older population accounted for 19 percent of the total population, as the proportion of senior citizens has seen a yearly increase, from 13.2 percent in 2015, 16.4 percent in 2020, and 18. percent in 2022.

Korea is currently categorized as an aged society according to the United Nations, as more than 14 percent of its total population is aged 65 and above. According to the UN, a country is categorized as an aging society if the proportion of those aged 65 and above account for more than 7 percent of the total population, and as a super-aged society if older citizens account for more than 20 percent of the total population.

At its current rate, Korea is expected to become a super-aged society by 2025.

With a rise in the population of senior citizens, eligible voters aged over 60 also outnumbered those in their 20s and 30s for the upcoming general election in April. Eligible voters aged 60 and above accounted for 31.43 percent of the total population, while those in their 20s and 30s accounted for 28.78 percent of the total population.

By Lee Jung-joo(lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com)