Reviews
The unhappy lives of Koreans after age 60 in an era of ultra-low birth rates and extreme aging. A country with a low happiness index and a high suicide rate. If this continues, the Republic of Korea will disappear faster than any other country in the world... This book lets readers compare what is different between Japanese society, which encountered an aging era 20 years before Korea, and the ordinary lives of Japanese citizens, and the ordinary lives of Koreans. It offers a glimpse of
Kim Seung-sik: How do the lives of Koreans and Japanese differ after the age of 60?
Korea’s older people: 60% fall into poverty. Recently, Korea’s aging has accelerated as more than 7 million baby boomers have begun retiring. In 2025, people aged 65 or older will exceed 20% of the population, and a super-aged society will begin. Accordingly, the problem of old age in Korean society, whose social safety net is weak, has become one of the first social challenges to address alongside the ultra-low birth rate among younger generations. The fact that the overall economic levels of Korea and Japan have recently become similar does not mean that individuals’ economic lives after retirement can be similar too. The extent to which a social safety net is established in each society has a profound effect on the lives of older generations. Japan is the most aged society among developed countries and experienced an aged society 20 years before Korea. About three in every ten people there are aged 65 or older. Comparing Japan’s various social safety nets, institutions, and policies, which have been closely established in preparation for an aging society for a long time, with Korea’s, the author discusses concretely what Korea should prepare and how it should prepare as it approaches an aged society. To help readers understand, the book compares the lives of Mr. Tanaka, a model Japanese head of household who is retired, and Mr. Kim Cheol-su, a model Korean head of household. They are not specific cases but representative heads of average households in each society, inferred from statistics. Japan quickly extended the retirement age to 65 in response to an aging society. Korea, by contrast, has a retirement age of 60, but many people leave work before reaching it. The aging policies of the two countries are sharply contrasted starting with this issue.
Korean title: 60이후, 한국인과 일본인의 삶은 어떻게 다른가
Korean author: 김승식
Korean publisher: 끌리는책
ISBN-13: 9791187059967
Reviews
The unhappy lives of Koreans after age 60 in an era of ultra-low birth rates and extreme aging. A country with a low happiness index and a high suicide rate. If this continues, the Republic of Korea will disappear faster than any other country in the world... This book lets readers compare what is different between Japanese society, which encountered an aging era 20 years before Korea, and the ordinary lives of Japanese citizens, and the ordinary lives of Koreans. It offers a glimpse of
