South Koreans Are Now , Younger Under New Law.
South Koreans became a year or two younger as a new age-counting law took effect on June 28, the BBC reports.
Previously, South Koreans were considered one year old at birth.
Additionally, everyone in the country was considered to have aged by a year on the first of January as opposed to their birthdays.
Both of those age-counting methods were scrapped, and international standards of determining age based on birth date were adopted.
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When President Yoon Suk Yeol ran for office last year, he pushed for the change, saying it created "unnecessary social and economic costs.".
For example, determining age for insurance purposes or government assistance programs often caused disputes.
However, some statutes that utilize one's "counting age" will remain.
For example, cigarettes and alcohol can be purchased in the country from the year someone turns 19, rather than the day.
Most other East Asian countries have also done away with the traditional age-counting methods.
Japan started using the international standard for counting age in 1950.
North Korea did the same in the 1980s.
North Korea did the same in the 1980s
