outh Koreans might be forgiven for asking “how old am I again?” after their system of counting ages was modified to suit worldwide requirements.
Under earlier laws, a toddler within the East Asian nation was counted as being one-year-old upon delivery after which had a yr added each January 1. But this was modified on Wednesday to suit the mannequin of being zero on the time of delivery after which counting years from a birthday.
It has meant that South Korea’s population of practically 52 million now discover themselves no less than one yr youthful. This may be a aid for these nearing an enormous birthday or irritating for anybody wanting ahead to elevated freedoms.
Since the early Sixties, South Korea has used the worldwide norm of calculating from zero at delivery and including a yr on each birthday for medical and authorized paperwork. But many South Koreans continued to make use of the standard methodology for all the pieces else.
The new regulation was authorised in December, which means that can now change for all official functions bar some exceptions.
Minister of presidency laws, Lee Wan-kyu, advised a briefing on Monday: “We expect legal disputes, complaints and social confusion that have been caused over how to calculate ages will be greatly reduced.”
A authorities survey in September 2022 confirmed that 86 per cent of South Koreans mentioned they might use the worldwide age of their on a regular basis life when the brand new legal guidelines took impact.
However, the standard system will likely be stored in the meanwhile for varsity entrance and calculating the authorized age to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes.
This additionally applies to conscription, with all Korean males in good well being presently needing to finish round 18 months of service — something members of boyband BTS are currently contemplating.
Korea resident Hyun Jeong Byun advised the BBC: “I love it, because now I'm two years younger. My birthday is in December, so I always felt like this Korean age system is making me socially older than what I actually am.
“Now that Korea is following the global standard, I no longer have to explain my 'Korean age' when I go abroad.”
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