The main cause of South Korea's aging is low fertility. Decreased fertility rates tend to be caused by lower marriage rates, more delayed marriages, and increased age of parents.
While the basic picture is the same worldwide, Korea is aging much more rapidly than other countries primarily because its fertility rates have declined more rapidly. The total fertility rate (TFR) declined from 4.53 children per woman in 1970 to 2.06 in 1983, below the population replacement level.
Several factors contribute to the longevity of South Korean people. These include a diet rich in vegetables, fish, and fermented foods, an active lifestyle with a focus on physical activity like walking and hiking, strong social connections, and access to advanced healthcare.
It's intended to reduce confusion and to comply with global norms. South Koreans are usually referred to as one to two years older than people elsewhere because the time spent in the womb is counted, the only major country that has the practice.
The population density in South Korea is 531 per Km2 (1,376 people per mi2). The total land area is 97,230 Km2 (37,541 sq. miles). 82.4 % of the population is urban (42,587,468 people in 2025). The median age in South Korea is 45.6 years.
Korea. Cancer remained the leading cause of death among South Koreans last year, according to data from Statistics Korea. A total of 352,511 deaths were recorded in 2023, a decrease of 5.5 percent from the previous year, marking a decline after three years of increases.
Koreans understand the importance of protecting their skin from the sun's harmful UV rays. They religiously apply sunscreen every day, rain or shine, to prevent premature aging and maintain skin health.
On 1 January 2021, South Korea decriminalised abortion, overturning laws that had penalised women and medical practitioners since 1953. Despite this milestone, universal access to safe abortion services remains elusive.
Civilization expanded to other areas in East Asia gradually. In Korea Gojoseon became the first organized state around approximately 195 BC. Japan emerged as a unitary state with the creation of its first constitution in 604 AD.
Based on the National Health Interview Surveys conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fewer Korean Americans report chronic health conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, asthma, cancer and diabetes than Non-Hispanic Whites (3).
Men born in Chad have the lowest life expectancy in the world as of 2024, reaching only 53 years. The lowest life expectancy for women in the world in 2024 was for girls born in Nigeria, with only 55 years. Except for Afghanistan, all the countries with the lowest life expectancy in the world are in Africa.
An increase in single headed households and a stiflingly low access to new jobs has created a financially challenging situations for many families in South Korea, leading many not to have families at all. Income inequality has been declining since 2016, according to OECD data.
A combination of institutional, structural, and cultural factors also contribute to South Korea's ultra-low fertility, including labor market inequality and uncertainty, a family-unfriendly work culture, the high cost of raising children in a competitive educational system, and gender-essentialist family organization.
The main mechanism for economic development was government-led industrialization. Realizing the fact that Korea is a country of rare natural resources and abundant educated manpower, the newly-installed military government, led by President Park Jung-hee, pursued a labor-intensive and export-oriented industrialization.
The correct answer is Japan. Of all the countries in the world, Japan has the most rapidly aging population in the history of the world. It has the largest population of people over the age of 65.
According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, a global legal advocacy organization, there are 24 countries in the world where abortion is completely prohibited. These include Andorra and Malta in Europe, El Salvador and Honduras in Central America, Senegal and Egypt in Africa, and the Philippines and Laos in Asia.
The possession of firearms is strictly limited to public officials who are required to possess firearms in performing their line of duty (members of the police and armed forces and other law enforcement officers); legally licensed manufacturers, dealers, importers, or exporters and their employees; and those who are ...
In his book "Slow Aging Diet," Jung proposes a Korean-style MIND diet under six principles: to obtain essential nutrients from whole grains, beans and nuts; to eat plenty of vegetables and fruits; to primarily use olive oil for cooking; to consume more fish and poultry while limiting red or processed meats and cheese; ...
History of Korean drinking culture
Korea has a long tradition of consuming alcohol to celebrate holidays and seasonal events, in which they honor ancestors and exchange goodwill with neighbors and friends.
Korean names usually have three parts: the family or surname placed first, and a name identifying the generation, alternating each generation to second or third place with the given personal name.
South Korea's traditional age-counting custom considers every person 1 year old at birth and adds another year when the calendar hits Jan. 1, meaning a child born on Dec. 31 turns 2 the next day.
The legal drinking age policy implemented in South Korea (Korea) is distinct from that in other countries, as it is based on a calendar year approach. Specifically, individuals are allowed to access alcohol from January 1 of the year in which they turn 19.
A little confusing at first, right? Koreans still celebrate their birthday on the actual day with cake and candles just like us but when it is New Year's everyone celebrates with a soup that they finish in order to age. So, you are actually older in Korea than you are in the United States!