Report Reveals Demographic Changes

Kim, a 59-year-old Seoul citizen who retired from a small company in 2004, has been working as a superintendent of an apartment complex for three years since his retirement.

He said, “With a less-than-adequate retirement allowance, I need to continue to work to make a living,” adding, “There are quite a few colleagues of mine much older than 60.”

As the number of the aged increases, the number of “silver workers” older than 55 hit the four-million mark last year. Also, as divorce rates rise, there are more and more re-married couples, and the growth rate of apartment prices in cities reached its highest point in four years.

Some 4.025 million elderly citizens are employed-

According to “Korea’s Social Index 2006” released by the National Statistical Office yesterday, 4.025 million people aged 55 or older were employed as of late last year, a 4.5 percent increase from 3.85 million the previous year.

Their ratio in the entire pool of the employed also expanded 0.6 percentage points to 17.4 percent from 16.8 percent. Experts explain that the rapidly aging population and other social or economic reasons prompt the elderly to work.

Korea’s aging index (the ratio of over-65 population to below-14 population) reached 51.0, passing the 50-mark for the first time ever. This means that Korea’s over-65 population exceeded its below-14 population for the first time ever.

More remarried couples-

The number of remarried couples is also on the steep rise.

The number of couples with both spouses remarried was 43,351 in 2005, the record high, almost double the number 10 years earlier (25,682).

The number of divorced couples rose from 68,279 to 128,468 over the same period,

showing a similar growth rate as remarried couples.

There was escalating polarization in the labor market, depending on workers’ educational backgrounds.

While those with a college degree earned 3.14 million won monthly on average in 2005, those who graduated from high school received 1.99 million won, a whopping 1.15 million won gap. Considering the gap stood at 860,000 won in 2001, with college and high school graduates getting 2.32 million won and 1.46 million won, respectively, it grew 290,000 won in just four years.

Apartment prices rose 13.7 percent last year from 2005, posting the steepest rise since the 22.8 percent rise in 2002.

The prices of row houses and detached houses also went up 13.8 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively. This translates into 11.6-percent growth in house prices in cities, the largest increase since 2002 (16.4 percent).

Per capita calorie intake reaches 3,014 Cal-

In 2005, each Korean took in 3,014 Cal a day, replacing the former record of 3,010 Cal in 2000.

By nutrients, fat intake increased 3.2 percent from a year earlier to 88.6 Cal, demonstrating increased meat consumption due to Korea’s ever-westernizing diet. Protein intake dropped to 98.8 Cal in 2005 from 99.4 Cal a year earlier.

Suicide rates double in a decade-

The leading causes of deaths were cancer, cerebro-vascular disease and cardiac disorder.

The number of cancer deaths increased to 134.5 per 100,000 population from 110.8 in 1995, remaining the number one cause of deaths.

Colon cancer deaths more than doubled (from 5.8 to 12.5), while lung cancer also shot up (from 18.9 to 28.4).

There were also soaring suicide rates. The number of those who killed themselves more than doubled from 11.8 per 100,000 in 1995 to 26.1 in 2005.

abc@donga.com