Over 20% of population over 65 years old this year
A report from the Data Ministry said that the proportion is set to rise further to 30 percent in 10 years.
Older adults line up for free meals near Tapgol Park in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Aug. 3.
YONHAP
People aged 65 and older took up more than 20 percent of Korea's population this year amid rapid aging and the ultralow birthrate, data showed Thursday.
The number of older adults stood at 11.12 million in 2026, accounting for 21.6 percent of the country's 51.6 million population, the Ministry of Data and Statistics said.
The proportion makes Korea a "super-aged society," and is set to rise further to 30 percent in 2036 and more than 40 percent in 2050, the ministry said.
The number of households headed by older adults came to 6.5 million, accounting for 28.8 percent of all households in the country.
Of the 6.5 million households, 38 percent were single-person households, a share that has been increasing since 2015.
Households led by older adults are forecast to rise further to account for 50.6 percent in 2052.
The remaining life expectancy for those aged 65 was estimated at 21.7 years on average as of 2024, at 19.5 years for men and 23.7 years for women.
The net assets of households headed by older adults came to 493 million won ($363,400) on average in 2025, and 91.2 percent of the total older population received a state pension in 2024.
The employment rate among those aged 65 and older came to 39.5 percent in 2025, up 1.3 percentage points from a year earlier, and their employment rate has been rising since 2015.
Of those aged 65 to 79, 58.7 percent said they want to work in the future, with half citing financial issues as a reason, followed by 38.7 percent pointing to joy in work.
Asked about their quality of life, 33.7 percent of them said they are "satisfied" with their current life in 2025, down 1.8 percentage points from a year earlier, and 29 percent said they felt proud of their social and economic achievements.
Korea is facing grim demographic challenges as many young people opt to postpone or give up on getting married or having babies in line with changing social norms and lifestyles, as well as a tough job market and rising home prices.
Yonhap
