A 104-year-old voter casts an early ballot at a polling station in Buk District, Gwangju, on May 29, the first day of early voting for the nationwide June 3 local elections.NEWS1
Living past 100 no longer sounds far-fetched: The number of people aged 100 or older in Korea has nearly tripled over the past decade, and one in five now lives alone.
As of Nov. 1, 2025, 8,604 people in Korea were aged 100 or older, up 2.7 times from a decade earlier, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics on Thursday.
That figure grew by 5,445, or 172.4 percent, from 3,159 in 2015. There were 17.3 people aged 100 or older per 100,000 residents, up 10.9 from just 6.4 in 2015.
By sex, 7,176, or 83.4 percent, were women, compared to 1,428, or 16.6 percent, who were men. Women outnumbered men by about five to one.
By region, Gyeonggi had the largest number of people aged 100 or older at 2,052, followed by Seoul with 1,268 and North Gyeongsang with 559.
Per 100,000 people, South Jeolla had the highest number at 31.8, followed by Jeju Island at 30.4 and Gangwon at 28.6.
Older people eat watermelon to escape the heat at a senior center in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang, on Aug. 3, as a heat wave continued across the region.YONHAP
About one in five centenarians, or 20.7 percent, lived alone.
Living to 100, however, does not necessarily mean living in good health.
Among people aged 100 or older who lived at home rather than being hospitalized, nine in 10 had chronic illnesses. High blood pressure was the most common condition at 56.7 percent, followed by arthritis at 39.9 percent, dementia at 29.1 percent and diabetes at 15.7 percent.
A total of 87.4 percent of centenarians living at home could correctly identify their own names, while only 43.6 percent were able to perform tasks such as calculating money.
The most commonly cited secret to longevity was a moderate diet, including eating smaller portions, at 59.7 percent. This was followed by maintaining a regular routine at 44.5 percent and genetic factors, such as coming from a family with a history of longevity, at 32.1 percent.
Among people aged 100 or older, 86.9 percent said they had never smoked in their lives, while 79.6 percent said they had never consumed alcohol. A total of 75.8 percent had done neither throughout their lives, equivalent to about three in four centenarians.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
