If this sounds confusing, it is, with daily life in the country often switching between the hodgepodge of different systems.Įven with the new standardization, the old systems will still be used in some circumstances, the government said on Wednesday.įor instance, children typically enter elementary school in March of the year after they turn 6 years old (in international age), regardless of which month their birthday falls – which will continue. Born on December 31, 1977, he is considered 45 by international age 46 by calendar year age and 47 by Korean age. Take “Gangnam Style” singer Psy, for example. In some circumstances, South Koreans also use their “calendar age” – a mash-up of international age and Korean age – which consider babies as zero years old on the day they’re born and adds a year to their age every January 1.

Under this system, which has its roots in China, babies are considered a year old on the day they’re born, with a year added every January 1. South Koreans are about to get a year or two younger, thanks to a new law (Photo by Chris Jung/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Chris Jung/NurPhoto/Getty Images/File In South Korea, “international age” refers to the number of years since a person was born, and starts at zero – the same system used in most other countries.īut when asked their age in informal settings, most South Koreans will answer with their “Korean age,” which could be one or even two years older than their international age.Ĭhildren play in the Myeongnyang fountain in Gwanghwamun Square on Augin Seoul, South Korea. The law, passed by South Korea’s Parliament last December, is also expected to “greatly reduce social costs that have been unnecessary due to the mixed use of age standards,” Lee said, adding this had been a major pledge by President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office last May. Standardizing ages will “reduce various social confusions and disputes,” said Lee Wan-kyu, the Minister of Government Legislation, at a news briefing on Monday. Under legislation that came into effect Wednesday, “all judicial and administrative areas” across the East Asian country will adopt the “international age” system used by most of the world, ending years of debate about the problems caused by the formerly common use of “Korean age” and “calendar age.” More than 51 million people in South Korea awoke on Wednesday to find themselves a year or two younger – at least, according to the law.

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