change in law
Suddenly all South Koreans are at least a year younger
The South Koreans have to get used to a new age
© mariusz_prusaczyk / Getty Images
Different age counting methods have repeatedly caused confusion in South Korea. Now the country is officially pivoting to the international norm – with consequences for every citizen.
All people are in overnight South Korea a year, some of them even two years younger. What sounds like magic goes back to a change in the law by President Yoon Suk-yeol’s government.
With the law that Parliament passed last year and which has now come into force, the Asian country is introducing the international retirement system. In other words, what we also know in Germany: A person is zero years old at birth and gets a year older on every birthday.
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Traditionally, age counting in South Korea begins at the time of birth at one year. Another year is always added on January 1st, regardless of the actual date of birth.
South Korea: New counting system to prevent confusion
Officially, this count is now history, the international counting method is now the standard. The new regulation is intended to “reduce social confusion and points of contention,” the Seoul government said. For example, under the traditional system, a baby born on December 31 could be two years old on the second day of his life. After the conversion to the international age system, his age would be given as zero years.
The international standard has been used in the South Korean administration for several decades. But in everyday life, many citizens refer to the traditional system, originally from China. This keeps causing confusion – not only in the country itself, but also on an international level, for example when South Koreans want to go abroad.
The law change was an important project of President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in May. For many citizens, however, it will probably mean a change that they will have to get used to first.
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