Population aging in Korea: Changes since the 1960s

Abstract

This study describes the characteristics of the Korean elderly. This study also investigates the population aging in conjunction with social and economic changes in Korea. Finally, this study explores social and economic implications with respect to the current and projected situation of the Korea elderly. Korean society has experienced very rapid changes both in demographic transition and population aging mainly due to the rapid processes of industrialization and urbanization, especially since 1960s. The rapid process of population aging has brought about the increase of dependency ratio, increasingly imbalanced sex ratio, and the decrease of the proportion of the elderly living with children. This paper concludes that the responsibility for the welfare of the elderly should shift from the family to the government.