Dear MEL Topic Readers,
South Korea: Age system to be standardised from 2023
How old are you? If you ask this question to someone in or from South Korea, the answer may be different from your standard age calculation. The Korean age will always be at least one year older than your internationally recognized age. Koreans consider a year in the womb as counting towards their age, so every one is one year old at birth. Then the Korean age will add one year on New Year’s Day, not on the birthday. For example, if you were born December 31, you are one year old today and you’ll be two years tomorrow! More confusingly, there is another way to count the age in Korean culture, which is calculated from zero at birth and a year is added on 1 January. But recently, the South Korean congress passed a law to use only the internationally recognized age from June of next year to reduce socio-economic costs and confusion. This sounds like good news for the government and business administrators, as well as international students and travelers. But you want to be reminded that respect for others according to seniority is a pillar of Korea's Confucianist traditions. So whichever the age calculation method might be, you want to pay respect to seniors.
Enjoy reading the article about how age is and will be calculated in South Korea.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63903771
South Korea: Age system to be standardised from 2023
How old are you? If you ask this question to someone in or from South Korea, the answer may be different from your standard age calculation. The Korean age will always be at least one year older than your internationally recognized age. Koreans consider a year in the womb as counting towards their age, so every one is one year old at birth. Then the Korean age will add one year on New Year’s Day, not on the birthday. For example, if you were born December 31, you are one year old today and you’ll be two years tomorrow! More confusingly, there is another way to count the age in Korean culture, which is calculated from zero at birth and a year is added on 1 January. But recently, the South Korean congress passed a law to use only the internationally recognized age from June of next year to reduce socio-economic costs and confusion. This sounds like good news for the government and business administrators, as well as international students and travelers. But you want to be reminded that respect for others according to seniority is a pillar of Korea's Confucianist traditions. So whichever the age calculation method might be, you want to pay respect to seniors.
Enjoy reading the article about how age is and will be calculated in South Korea.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63903771
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