The 'year of age' (만 나이) is the international standard age calculation method where a person's age increases by one year every year after their birth. South Korea legally adopted this system on June 28, 2023.
The traditional Korean age calculation method starts with a person being 1 year old at birth and adds 1 year to their age on January 1st each year. Although this practice has a cultural basis, it has caused international confusion.
The use of the year of age will reduce legal and administrative confusion, facilitate international communication, and is expected to become the standard age calculation method in Korean society in the future.
Information about 'Korean age' implemented through social consensus and the difference from the traditional Korean age calculation method?
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Today, we'll discuss the common age calculation method in Korea and the 'Korean age' calculation method, which is gradually being widely accepted through social consensus. Let's look at the differences between 'Korean age', the traditional age calculation method in Korea, and 'Korean age', and why this change is happening.
What is 'Korean age'?
'Korean age' is calculated by adding one year to the age every year from the moment of birth.
Before reaching the age of one, the age is expressed in months. This is one of the standard age calculation methods widely used around the world. In Korea, a unique age calculation method called 'counted age' or 'Korean age' has been used for a long time. This method considers a person as one year old from the moment of birth, and everyone gains a year with the new year. As a result, people born in the same year are treated as the same age, and babies born on December 31st turn two years old in a day, resulting in unusual situations. However, this calculation method has been criticized for causing confusion as it does not align with internationally accepted standards. From an administrative standpoint, it has also led to unnecessary costs or difficulties in handling work due to different age criteria. To address these issues, a law applying 'Korean age' was enacted on June 28, 2023, following social consensus. Now, Korea officially uses 'Korean age', and regulations that had previously applied Korean age when the interpretation of Korean age was unclear have been unified to Korean age.
Implementation of the Year of Age Law
Understanding the Korean Age Calculation Method
The Korean age calculation method starts at one year old at birth and adds one year every January 1st.
In other words, before the first birthday, a person is one year old, not zero, and after that, the age increases by one year every birthday. This method is known to have been mainly used in the past agricultural society. At that time, time passed along with the change of seasons, so a child born in spring would grow to a certain extent by the time of harvest in autumn. There is a theory that children born in spring were considered one year old from that year. Another theory is that considering the fetal period as a human life and respecting it, they were considered one year old from the moment of birth. However, modern medicine does not consider the fetal period as a complete human life and considers birth as the beginning of human life. The Korean age calculation method has a long history and tradition in cultural terms, but it is rarely used internationally. Most countries use 'Korean age' as the standard, and some countries use 'year age'.
Key Differences Between 'Korean age' and the Korean Age Calculation Method
The biggest difference is whether the date of birth is the standard or the first anniversary of birth.
Korean age is calculated by adding one year every birthday, starting from the day of birth as day one, while Korean age is calculated by considering a person as one year old from the moment of birth and adding one year every New Year's Day. The second difference is in the way babies under one year old are counted. In Korean age, the age of a baby is counted in months until the baby turns one year old, and only after turning one does it become one year old. On the other hand, in Korean age, a newborn baby is one year old and gains a year with the new year. The third difference is the maximum age. While Korean age has no upper limit, Korean age cannot exceed 120 years old, regardless of how long a person lives.
Background of 'Korean age' Use Through Social Consensus
Korea has long used the Korean age calculation method.
However, this calculation method has caused confusion due to its difference from the internationally accepted Korean age calculation method, and it has also caused inconvenience in legal and administrative procedures. To solve these problems, a social consensus was reached to use the Korean age calculation method, and currently, Korean age is used in most areas. In legal and administrative fields, Korean age is used as the basis in laws and regulations, and Korean age notation is encouraged in official documents and hospital prescriptions, etc. In particular, since June 28, 2023, the principle of using Korean age has been established in judicial and administrative fields. Existing laws and regulations with Korean age provisions are being revised to comply with the unification of Korean age.
Comparison of Age Calculation Methods in Various Cultures
Different countries around the world have different age calculation methods. Here are a few examples.
* Korean age calculation method: Starts at one year old from the year of birth, and everyone gains a year with the new year.
* Korean age (International Standard): Starts at 0 years old from the date of birth and adds one year every birthday. It is used in most countries and recognized as a scientific and rational calculation method.
* American age calculation method: Similar to the Korean age calculation method based on the year of birth, but in reality, it is often considered one year old from the year of birth. The official way to calculate age in the US is generally as follows: Subtract the year of birth from the current year.
Example: As of 2024, if born in 1990, 2024 - 1990 = 34 years old. Adjust the age based on whether the birthday has passed. If the birthday has not passed, subtract 1 from the calculated age. If the birthday has already passed, the calculated age remains the same. For example, if you were born on October 15, 1990 and today is August 18, 2024, your age would be 33 years old because your birthday has not yet passed.
Korean Age Calculation Method
Legal and Social Impact of 'Korean age'
In Korea, the use of 'Korean age' has been unified through revisions to the Administrative Basic Act and the Civil Act since June 28, 2023.
As a result, 'Korean age' has become the official age calculation method in law, and the traditional Korean age calculation method is now only used in informal settings. The biggest advantage of this social consensus is that it can reduce unnecessary confusion and disputes. In the past, in Korea, the same person was often called by different ages depending on the situation, which often led to confusion. However, from now on, all citizens will calculate their age based on the same standard, so it is expected that this confusion will decrease. Another advantage is consistency with international standards. Most countries in the world have already been using 'Korean age', so this decision will lead to smoother communication for Koreans in international exchanges, overseas travel, etc.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Using 'Korean age' in Korea
Advantages
- Objective and clear criteria: It is an objective and clear criterion because it is calculated by adding one year every year from the date of birth.
- Consistency with international standards: It is consistent with the method used in most countries around the world. This enables smoother communication in international exchanges, overseas travel, etc.
Disadvantages
- Unfamiliar calculation method: It may be unfamiliar at first because it is different from the traditional Korean age calculation method.
- Concerns about weakening the hierarchical consciousness based on age: In Korea, hierarchical consciousness based on age is strong, and there are concerns that this hierarchical consciousness may be weakened by using Korean age.
Future Prospects of 'Korean age' and the Korean Age Calculation Method
As the government is actively promoting it and social consensus is being formed, there is a high possibility that 'Korean age' will be commonly used in Korea in the future.
This will reduce unnecessary confusion and disputes and will be consistent with international standards, making it more convenient not only domestically but also in international exchanges, overseas travel, etc. However, there may still be people who prefer the Korean age calculation method, so it may be possible to move forward by acknowledging both calculation methods. Ultimately, the most important thing is to listen to the opinions of the people and find a socially acceptable method.