On Wednesday, June 28, new rules that replaced South Korea's conventional technique with the international method went into force, making South Koreans a year or two younger.
According to the age system, South Koreans most frequently employ, a year is added to a person's age on January 1 of each year after birth.
The nation has utilized the worldwide standard of starting at zero at birth and adding a year on every birthday for medical and legal papers since the early 1960s. But for everything else, a large portion of South Koreans kept using the conventional approach.
South Korea passed rules in December to do away with the old way of doing things and fully adopt the global norm, as reported by Reuters.
In a government study performed in September 2022, 86 percent of South Koreans stated that after the new regulations were enacted, they would employ the international age in their daily lives.
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The Age System in South Korea
Traditionally, Koreans have used a different age system than the rest of the world. In this system, a person is considered to be one year old at birth, and their age increases by one on New Year's Day, regardless of their actual birth date. This means that a Korean baby born on December 31 becomes one year old as soon as he or she is born, then becomes two years old one day later on New Year's Day.
A boy plays in a fountain to cool off in the central Gwanghwamun area of Seoul on June 19, 2023, as a heat wave advisory has been issued by the South Korean government.
The international age system is the one that is used in most other countries. In this system, a person's age is calculated from their date of birth, and their age increases by one on their actual birthday. This means that a Korean baby who is born on December 31 would be considered to be 0 years old on their birthdate and would become one year old on January 1.
The change to the international age system is expected to have a number of impacts on South Korea. For example, it will likely lead to confusion and misunderstandings as people adjust to using the new system. It is possible that the change could have some economic implications as businesses and organizations adapt to the new system.
Overall, the change to the international age system is significant for South Korea. It is a move that is likely to have a number of impacts on the country, both positive and negative. The reactions to the new age system in South Korea are mixed. Some people are welcoming the change, while others are opposed to it. How the South Korean public will ultimately receive the change remains to be seen. Only time will tell how the change will ultimately play out.
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