South Korea commemorates 30th Senior Citizens Day

South Korea held ceremonies to commemorate the 30th Senior Citizens Day, focusing on honoring elderly citizens and addressing the challenges of a super-aged society.

At a national ceremony organized by the Korean Senior Citizens Association and hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Lee Jung-geun, chairman of the association, proposed several policy shifts to adapt to demographic changes. These include a gradual increase of the official senior age from 65 to 75 years, the implementation of home-based end-of-life care systems, and the establishment of a Ministry of Population. Lee also suggested designating ‘UN Day’ as a national holiday to honor the sacrifices of UN forces during the Korean War.

In Yongin Special City, local celebrations included honoring 61 citizens for their contributions to elderly welfare and celebrating centenarians. The city, which is a member of the WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities, highlighted its ongoing support through senior job programs, the Yongin Senior Academy, and specialized administrative services for single-person elderly households.