Although it may sound like the patch from a superhero celluloid where some dastardly scoundrel has reversed the age of an total Carry Nation , it is in reality the result of along - expected changeto the land ’s methods for memorialize ages . The new law ordinate the nation ’s traditional eld - bet advance with international banner .
Traditionally , South Korea has rehearse two elbow room to account for a person ’s age . Under this old system , babies were consider to be one twelvemonth sometime on the twenty-four hour period of their birth , but on January 1each year , an extra year was append to everyone – regardless of their actual birthdays . In essence , a baby born on December 31 would become a two - year - old the next daytime .
The second system of count represented a mix of this quondam method and outside ones . Here a babe is tolerate at zero twelvemonth , but then gains a yr every January 1 . Therefore a soul could be see as having three dissimilar ages , depending on which system you ’re relying on .
Then , in December last year , anew lawwas passed to bring South Korea ’s system into accord with the external approach . That law of nature came into outcome this week on Wednesday June 27 , meaning that everyone in South Korea efficaciously inflame up a year or two younger .
This change will have small impact on the quotidian life ofmost people . Most of the nation ’s administrative system of rules already operates on masses ’s literal birthday , which are used on passport and driving licenses , as well as other convention , such as the eld of prosecution as a juvenile or the years when one qualify for retreat or healthcare support .
The older mixed system of rules does still enforce to some scene of the area ’s life story . For example , ingress into schools , the effectual age for drinking and smoking , and one ’s eligibility for military service have not yet been update . These change will be introduced more tardily .
agree to President Yoon Suk Yeol , who advocate for this change during his footrace for office last twelvemonth , the traditional age system of rules make “ unneeded social and economic cost " , as reported by theBBC .
The traditional years - count methods were rehearse in other East Asiatic countries , but most have now turn to the international touchstone . Japan rely on these older methods until 1950 and even North Korea turn to the standardized scheme in the 1980s .
