hankyoreh

South Korean Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hu has suggested to the presidential committee for tackling the country’s low birth rate and aging population that the official age for senior citizen be raised from 65 and above to 70 and above. Raising the official age for classifying senior citizens would give workers more time before they’re pressured or forced to retire. As the average lifespan lengthens, elderly people find it increasingly difficult to stay employed and economically active after retirement. In South Korea’s rapidly aging population, the proportion of senior citizens who are willing to work but cannot find employment is rapidly rising, which gives rise to a series of socioeconomic problems.