The number of seniors aged 65 and older in South Korea has surpassed 11 million this year, accounting for 21.6% of the total population. This proportion is expected to rise rapidly, reaching 30% by 2036 and over 40% by 2050.
According to the "2026 Elderly Statistics" released by the National Data Agency on October 1, the population of seniors aged 65 and older is estimated at 11.125 million. Among them, the proportion of elderly women is 23.9%, which is 4.7 percentage points higher than that of men at 19.2%.
Regionally, South Jeolla Province has the highest percentage of elderly residents at 28.6%, followed by North Gyeongsang (27.6%), Gangwon (27.1%), North Jeolla (26.7%), Busan (25.9%), and South Gyeongsang (23.7%), all exceeding the national average. A total of nine regions have a higher proportion of elderly residents than the national average.
As life expectancy for the elderly increases, so does the burden of medical expenses. As of 2024, the life expectancy for a 65-year-old is 21.7 years, with men expected to live 19.5 years and women 23.7 years. Compared to the OECD average, South Korean men live 0.8 years longer, while women live 1.9 years longer.
In the same year, the average medical expenses for seniors aged 65 and older were 5.376 million won, an increase of 70,000 won from the previous year. The out-of-pocket expenses also rose to 1.256 million won, up by 4,000 won. The health check-up participation rate was 68.9%, a decrease of 0.4 percentage points from the previous year.
In terms of income security, the net assets of elderly households have increased. In 2025, the net assets of households headed by individuals aged 65 and older reached 492.79 million won, an increase of 26.85 million won from the previous year.
However, the relative poverty rate among retirees remains high. In 2024, the relative poverty rate for those aged 66 and older was 37.7%, a decrease of 2.1 percentage points from the previous year. The Gini coefficient was recorded at 0.377, and the income quintile ratio was 6.9 times. The pension coverage rate for seniors aged 65 and older was 91.2%, with an average monthly pension amounting to 737,000 won.
Many seniors are also engaged in social activities. In 2025, the volunteer participation rate among those aged 65 and older was 8.9%, while the group participation rate was 64.1%. The lifelong education participation rate for seniors aged 65 to 79 was 26.0%.
The digital usage among the elderly has also expanded. Last year, the internet usage rate for seniors aged 65 and older was 79.2%, and the instant messaging usage rate was 96.0%. Among messaging apps, KakaoTalk was used by 99.5%, while Naver Band was used by 9.2%.
In terms of traffic safety, while the death and injury rates from pedestrian accidents have decreased, the proportion of accidents involving elderly drivers has increased. In 2025, the pedestrian traffic accident death rate for seniors aged 65 and older was 5.9 per 100,000 people, a decrease of 0.3 from the previous year, while the injury rate was 105.2, down by 4.1.
Conversely, the proportion of fatalities among elderly drivers in accidents rose to 33.1%, and the injury rate increased to 23.4%, both up by 2.9 and 1.9 percentage points, respectively, from the previous year.
Subjective life satisfaction has declined. In 2025, only 33.7% of seniors aged 65 and older reported being satisfied with their current lives, a decrease of 1.8 percentage points from the previous year. Additionally, 29.0% expressed satisfaction with their socio-economic achievements, down by 4.2 percentage points.
Among adults aged 19 and older, 11.9% identified "the elderly" as the group most frequently subjected to human rights violations or discrimination, ranking third after people with disabilities (16.7%) and the economically disadvantaged (15.1%).
* This article has been translated by AI.
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