South Korea has recently transitioned to an international age-counting system, marking a significant shift in how individuals’ ages are calculated, as reported by Renhap. Under the new system, a person’s age is counted from the day they were born, starting from June 28.
Prior to this change, South Korea had been using two other age-counting systems. The most common method involved considering a person to be one year old on their birthday and adding another year on the first day of the new year. For instance, according to this system, an infant born on December 31 would be deemed two years old on January 1. This approach, known as the “Korean age,” was widely used. The second system, different from the international norm, added one year to a person’s age immediately after the new year, irrespective of their actual birthday.
While the international age-counting system will now be applied in administrative and judicial contexts, it will not affect certain areas such as military conscription, restrictions on alcohol and tobacco purchases, or school enrollment.
The adoption of the international age-counting system was one of President Yoon Seok-yeol’s campaign promises, and it received approval from the parliament in December. This unified age determination system is expected to bring about significant cost reductions in administrative processes.
By aligning with the international age-counting standard, South Korea aims to streamline its age-related policies and enhance consistency in age calculations across different domains. The transition to this system marks an important step towards harmonizing age practices with global standards, promoting efficiency, and reducing administrative complexities.
