SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea is on a campaign to retire its old and outdated age-counting method, which adds an extra year to a person’s age. However, children are among the few who are not thrilled about the change.
“I turned 6 and then became 5 again,” said Kim Da-in when asked about the new law that formalizes the international age-counting method. The law encourages people to calculate their age based on their birthdays.
Under South Korea’s traditional age-counting custom, every person is considered 1 year old at birth and their age increases by one when the calendar hits January 1. This means that a child born on December 31 turns 2 the next day.
While the new law aims to standardize international ages and reduce confusion and disputes, it may not result in significant changes. Most public services in South Korea already use international ages.
International ages determine when a person can go to school, drive, vote, and receive a pension. The law was welcomed by some residents who no longer have to describe themselves as being in their 50s or 60s. However, there are others who prefer the simplicity of the old counting method.
While the new law applies to most public services, age-related regulations such as the legal age for drinking and smoking and mandatory military service remain the same.
Changing these regulations would require revisions to existing laws. Nonetheless, the new law aims to reduce confusion in daily life and promote a more rational way of counting ages.
Promoting international age as a social standard could also be significant in fields like healthcare, where misunderstandings based on age interpretations could have serious consequences.
Overall, the new law is seen as a positive change, although there are some who believe that age holds significant importance in a conservative society and being younger may not always be advantageous. Nonetheless, the nation is embracing the change together.
Associated Press writer Hyung-jin Kim and video journalist Yong-ho Kim contributed to this report.
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