“How old are you?” If you, as a foreigner, were to ask a Korean the question above, they would hesitate before answering. Then would respond, “In Korean age? Or in international age?” SO, do Koreans have multiple ages? Yes. Until recently, Koreans had three ways of counting age. In the era when “Korean age,” “international age (western age),” and “year age” were distinguished, age could be counted in three different ways. However, as of June 2023, with the implementation of the “(International) Age Unification Act,” the method of counting age has been reduced to one. (Of course, legally, “year age” can still be applied as an exception, but it can be considered that the universally accepted method of “counting age” has become one.) So, can Koreans now answer the initial question – “How old are you?” – directly? The answer is, not yet. While the method of counting age has been unified, people still count by Korean age. Amidst the confusion among Koreans, how confusing might this transitional situation be for foreigners? In this Culture article, the Dongguk Post will explore the background and history of the “Korean age” and delve into its significance.
What is the “Korean age?”
Before June 2023, in Korea, there was a mix of “Korean age” and “International age” methods for calculating age. The Korean age method involves adding one year from the day of birth and then incrementing by one each subsequent January 1st, a method commonly used in daily life. While there is no clear origin of the Korean age, the most plausible explanation is that Koreans traditionally considered life to begin when a child was conceived in the mother’s womb. Given the 10-month gestation period, by the time a child is born, they ae already considered nearly a year old. On the other hand, the international age system starts from zero at birth and increases by one year with each passing year from the date of birth, a widely used method in most countries. “Year age” is a method adopted in some legal systems where age is calculated based on “current year-(minus) year of birth,” regardless of the individual’s birthday.
In East Asian cultural spheres such a Japan, China, Mongolia, and Vietnam, the so-called “Korean age” was once prevalent. However, as modern society advances, such age calculation method has gradually faded away.
Some foreigners are deeply confused by this concept of “Korean age.” “I do not understand why this way of counting is necessary. I think it just makes things unnecessarily confusing,” and international student currently enrolled in the Dongguk University Institute of Korean Language told the Dongguk Post.
Taking this into consideration, let us dive into why Koreans have been using the Korean age for so long, even after its official abolition. Actually, the reason is because the system is deeply rooted in Korea’s cultural and linguistic heritage. While informal language usage becomes common once familiarity is established, in Korean culture, age holds significant importance. It dictates the use of honorifics, where even if someone is just a year older, they are addressed with respect. Terms like “unnie,” “oppa,” “hyeong,” “nuna” change based on age hierarchy. Ultimately, age is deeply embedded in the Korean language, forming a culture of hierarchy. Therefore, due to the establishment of such hierarchies based on age, and the linguistic culture that maintains them, the Korean age system has been preserved.
Why this unique system had to come to an end?
Before the age unification act, the various age calculation methods often led to confusion among the population, leading to administrative issues and the need to explain the concept of Korean age to foreigners.
Representative examples include issues faced by companies like Namyang Dairy Products and in vaccine administration. In the case of Namyang Dairy Products, there was a legal dispute between labor and management regarding whether the age of 56, the age at which the wage peak system was applied, was based on Korean age of international age. While the judgements of the first and second trials differed, in March of last year, the Supreme Court interpreted it as being 55 in international age. Additionally, during the early stages of COVID-19 vaccine administration, there were numerous inquiries due to the absence of international age notation for vaccination age eligibility.
In fact, since 1962, Korea has officially adopted international age in civil law, so there should not be significant administrative changes. For example, the voting age, the retirement age for pension benefits, and civil service retirement age are already regulated enforced based on international age in existing laws and regulations, so there are no changes in these aspects. However, this measure holds significance in clearly defining legal and social age standards for all citizens, as there have been many cases of people confusing ages when conducting administrative tasks or drafting contracts.
However, there are exceptions to the application of international age. A prime example is the admission age for elementary school. According to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, a child can start elementary school from March 1st of the year following the year they turn six, based on international age. For example, based on this year, children born in 2017 can enter elementary school, regardless of their actual birthdate. Next year, children born in 2018 will be eligible for admission. The legal age for purchasing alcohol or tobacco and the application of military service laws is also calculated based on year age, not international age. Based on this year, individuals born after 2004 can purchase alcohol or tobacco, and the conscription examination will be conducted for those born in 2005 this year, regardless of their actual birthdate. Similarly, next year, those born in 2006 will undergo the conscription examination.
In sum, despite the implementation of the “(International) Age Unification Act” as of June 2023 in South Korea, Koreans still predominantly use the Korean age. This phenomenon reflects the societal hierarchy based on age in Korean society, deeply intertwined with language usage and etiquette norms. While the need for unification of international age is significant for reducing confusion and establishing clear legal and social age standards, some exceptions persist, indicating that “year age” is still used in specific contexts. Hopefully, this article has aided Dongguk University students in understanding the various confusions and meaning within the Korean age.