Super Aging in South Korea Unstoppable but Mitigatable: A Sub-National Scale Population Projection for Best Policy Planning

Abstract

This research portrays the spatial and temporal progression of super-aging in regions throughout South Korea. Using a single-year population projection considering gross domestic migration, this research identifies which regions will shortly become a super-aged society. A cohort-component method with a migrant pool model is applied. The county-level national population registration data (2000–2018) are aggregated into 37 regions for the model run. In 2020, 16 rural regions will become super-aged societies. By 2029, all 37 regions, including the metropolitan areas, will join the group, with Sejong, the administrative capital, being the last to enter. In brief, the rural areas become super-aged earlier than the metropolitan areas, and within a decade, those 65 years old or older will make up the majority of the national population. Among all the metropolitan areas, Busan, the largest harbor city, will be the first to be super-aged in 2023. Sejong will experience the most radical change between 2020 and 2050. The research outcomes demonstrate that demographic changes in the rural and metropolitan areas are different; hence, the recent population policies, such as promoting fertility, may not work in the rural areas as they have already lost their population momentum due to the extreme and on-going urbanization throughout the nation. The unstoppable aging will pose adverse effects on future citizens (who are mostly senior) both financially and medically. An increase in health care expenditure and a nationwide blood shortage for transfusion are anticipated, for example.

Geriatrics Fact Sheet in Korea 2021

“…It took 17 years for Korea to transition to an aged society from an aging society, defined as proportions of the population aged 65 years or older of ≥14.0% and 7.0%, respectively, while Japan took 24 years for the same transition. 1 ) More strikingly, Korea is expected to become a super-aged society, defined as a proportion of the population aged 65 years or older of ≥20.0%, in 2025. This prominent trend of population aging in Korea has been, to some degree, attributed to rapid economic development that accompanies the fast-growing life expectancy at birth with the establishment of modern healthcare systems after the Korean War (1950–1953) and the lowest birth rate among developed countries.…”

In vitro effects of conditioned medium from bioreactor cultured human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) on skin-derived cell lines

“…Stem cell-based cosmetics are an emerging science and are increasingly being used in regenerative medicine, offering a potential cure to various serious diseases, especially in unmet medical needs [ 1 ]. Longevity and aging societies are a global trend, and Korea is progressing rapidly into an aging society [ 2 ]. Stem cell replacement therapy and regenerative medicine have emerged as effective anti-aging methods.…”

Clinical validation of implementing Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocol in elderly colorectal cancer patients

“…The population is rapidly aging in the Republic of Korea [15]. Old age, tends to have comorbidities and frailty issues, is associated with increased postoperative complications in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies [16,17].…”