More older Koreans cover own living costs as support from children declines

An increasing number of older Koreans are covering their own living costs instead of relying on children, with 74.7 percent of people aged 65 and older doing so in 2024. The share relying on children or relatives fell to 13.1 percent. The trend comes as Korea’s older population and older-headed households continue to grow, while poverty among seniors remains high.

The Ministry of Data and Statistics said 74.7 percent of people aged 65 and older covered living expenses themselves or through spouses in 2024, up 16.2 percentage points from a decade earlier.

The share of older people relying on support from children or relatives fell to 13.1 percent, down 15.5 percentage points over the same period.

Some 11.13 million people are aged 65 and older this year, equal to 21.6 percent of the population, and Korea became a super-aged society last year when the share reached 20.3 percent.

In 2024, 37.7 percent of people aged 66 and older had incomes below half the median, and the OECD comparison figure for Korea in 2023 was 39.8 percent, the highest among member countries.

Average net assets among households headed by older people reached 492.8 million won last year, while 64.4 percent of people aged 65 and older said they were preparing financially for later life.

Published Oct 1, 2026 3:10 pm KST

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Kim, 70, who lives in Seoul’s Gwanak District, works as an attendant on a kindergarten bus, helping children board and get off safely. The pay is modest, but it helps cover everyday expenses and gives her some spending money.

“My son occasionally gives me money, but not regularly,” Kim said. “I don’t want to burden my son and his wife by asking them to cover my living expenses every month. As long as I stay healthy, I want to keep working, even if I earn only a small amount.”

An increasing number of older Koreans, like Kim, are covering their own living expenses rather than relying on support from their children.

Figures released Thursday by the Ministry of Data and Statistics showed that 74.7 percent of people aged 65 and older covered their living expenses themselves or through their spouses in 2024. That was an increase of 16.2 percentage points over a decade.

By contrast, the proportion relying on support from children or relatives dropped to 13.1 percent, down 15.5 percentage points over the same period.

The share of older people who want to work has also grown. This year, 58.7 percent of Koreans aged 65 to 79 said they wanted to work in the future, up 1.1 percentage points from last year. Among them, 50.4 percent cited helping cover living costs, while 38.7 percent cited the satisfaction of working.

These changes come as older people make up a growing share of Korea’s population. About 11.13 million people are aged 65 and older this year, accounting for 21.6 percent of the population.

Korea became a super-aged society last year, when that share reached 20.3 percent. The proportion is projected to exceed 30 percent in 2036 and 40 percent in 2050.

Household patterns are changing alongside the population. This year, some 6.5 million households, or 28.8 percent of the total, are headed by someone aged 65 or older. Of these, 38 percent are one-person households and 35.1 percent consist of couples living on their own.

Households headed by older people are projected to number more than 10 million in 2038 and account for more than half of all households by 2052.

Their finances have strengthened in some respects. Average net assets among households headed by older people reached 492.8 million won ($363,000) last year, up 26.85 million won from 2024.

Financial preparation for later life has become more common as well. Last year, 64.4 percent of people aged 65 and older said they were preparing financially for their later years, up 17.5 percentage points from a decade earlier.

Among those making preparations, 53.2 percent relied primarily on the national pension, followed by deposits and installment savings at 20.1 percent and occupational pensions at 10.2 percent.

Yet poverty remains widespread. In 2024, 37.7 percent of people aged 66 and older had incomes below half the median, the threshold used to measure relative poverty. That was down 2.1 percentage points from a year earlier.

Despite the decline, Korea’s rate remained high by international standards. In 2023, the reference year for OECD comparisons, it stood at 39.8 percent, the highest among members. That compared with 10.1 percent in Canada, 6.2 percent in France, 14.5 percent in Germany, 15 percent in Britain and 13.1 percent in Spain. Latvia was the only other member with a rate above 30 percent, at 34.3 percent.

A ministry official said continued employment support could help sustain the decline in poverty among older people.

“Continued government support for jobs for older people could help bring down their relative poverty rate,” the official said. “Their views on financial preparation for later life are changing as well.”

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越来越多的韩国老年人选择自食其力，不再依赖子女，预计到2024年，65岁及以上老年人中将有74.7%的人能够做到这一点。而依赖子女或亲属赡养的比例则下降至13.1%。这一趋势的出现，正值韩国老龄人口和老年户主家庭持续增长之际，与此同时，老年人的贫困率仍然居高不下。

数据统计部表示，到 2024 年，65 岁及以上人群中，有 74.7% 的人自己或通过配偶支付生活费用，比十年前增长了 16.2 个百分点。

依靠子女或亲属支持的老年人比例下降至 13.1%，比同期下降了 15.5 个百分点。

今年韩国65岁及以上的人口约有1113万人，占总人口的21.6%；去年韩国65岁及以上人口比例达到20.3%，成为超老龄化社会。

2024 年，66 岁及以上人口中有 37.7% 的人收入低于中位数的一半，而 2023 年韩国的经合组织比较数据显示，这一比例为 39.8%，是成员国中最高的。

去年，老年人户主家庭的平均净资产达到 4.928 亿韩元，而 65 岁及以上人群中有 64.4% 表示他们正在为晚年生活做好财务准备。

发布于2026年10月1日下午3:10（韩国标准时间）

人口老龄化进程正在加速，今年老年人口比例已达21.6%，预计到2050年将超过40%。

70岁的金女士住在首尔冠岳区，她在幼儿园校车上做乘务员，负责帮助孩子们安全上下车。虽然收入不高，但足以支付日常开销，还能给她一些零花钱。

“儿子偶尔会给我钱，但不是经常给，”金说。“我不想每个月都让儿子和儿媳承担我的生活开销，给他们增加负担。只要身体健康，我就想继续工作，哪怕收入微薄。”

像金先生这样的韩国老年人越来越多，他们不再依靠子女的资助，而是自己承担生活开支。

韩国数据统计部周四公布的数据显示，到2024年，65岁及以上人群中，有74.7%的人将自行或通过配偶支付生活开支。这一比例比十年前增加了16.2个百分点。

相比之下，依靠子女或亲戚支持的比例下降到 13.1%，比同期下降了 15.5 个百分点。

老年人想要工作的比例也有所增长。今年，65岁至79岁的韩国人中，有58.7%表示未来有工作意愿，比去年上升了1.1个百分点。其中，50.4%的人表示是为了补贴生活开支，38.7%的人表示是为了获得工作带来的满足感。

随着韩国老年人口比例不断增长，这些变化也随之而来。今年，韩国65岁及以上的人口约为1113万人，占总人口的21.6%。

韩国去年正式进入超老龄化社会，老龄化人口比例达到20.3%。预计到2036年，这一比例将超过30%，到2050年将超过40%。

随着人口结构的变化，家庭结构也在发生变化。今年，约有650万户家庭（占总数的28.8%）的户主年龄在65岁及以上。其中，38%为单人户，35.1%为独居夫妇。

预计到 2038 年，老年人户主家庭将超过 1000 万户，到 2052 年，老年人户主家庭将占所有家庭的一半以上。

他们的财务状况在某些方面有所改善。去年，老年人户主家庭的平均净资产达到 4.928 亿韩元（36.3 万美元），比 2024 年增加了 2685 万韩元。

为晚年生活做好财务准备也变得越来越普遍。去年，65岁及以上人群中有64.4%表示他们正在为晚年生活做财务准备，比十年前增长了17.5个百分点。

在准备退休的人群中，53.2%的人主要依靠国家养老金，其次是存款和分期储蓄（20.1%）和职业养老金（10.2%）。

然而，贫困现象依然普遍存在。2024年，66岁及以上人群中，有37.7%的人收入低于收入中位数的一半，而收入中位数是衡量相对贫困的衡量标准。这一比例比上一年下降了2.1个百分点。

尽管有所下降，但韩国的生育率按国际标准衡量仍然很高。2023年是经合组织比较的参考年份，韩国的生育率为39.8%，在成员国中最高。相比之下，加拿大为10.1%，法国为6.2%，德国为14.5%，英国为15%，西班牙为13.1%。拉脱维亚是唯一另一个生育率超过30%的成员国，生育率为34.3%。

一位政府官员表示，持续的就业支持有助于维持老年人贫困率下降的趋势。

这位官员表示：“政府继续支持老年人就业，有助于降低他们的相对贫困率。他们对晚年财务规划的看法也在发生变化。”

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