South Korea has implemented a new law that adopts the international age-counting method, aiming to standardize ages and reduce confusion. Under the traditional age-counting custom, every person is considered one year old at birth and gains another year on January 1. While the new law won't significantly impact public services, which already use international ages, it has been welcomed by some who appreciate being called a year younger. However, others find the change awkward and miss the simplicity of the old counting method. The law aims to promote a more rational way of counting ages and reduce confusion in daily life, particularly in areas like healthcare.
South Korea has implemented a new law that formalizes the international age-counting method, which considers a person's age based on their birthday. The traditional age-counting custom in South Korea adds a year to a person's age on January 1, making them a year or two older than their international age. While the new law aims to standardize ages and reduce confusion, it does not significantly change how public services are conducted. The change has been welcomed by some, who appreciate being called a year younger, but others find the new counting method awkward. The law does not affect age-related regulations such as drinking and military service eligibility.
South Koreans have become a year or two younger as a new law aligns the nation's age-counting methods with international standards. The law, which took effect on Wednesday, replaces two traditional systems that counted age differently. The change was pushed for by President Yoon Suk-yeol to reduce social and economic costs, such as disputes over insurance pay-outs and eligibility for government assistance programs. Despite the switch, some existing statutes will still count age based on the previous methods.
