SEOUL, June 10 (AJP) - More than 2 million South Koreans aged 70 and older were employed last year to make up a record 7.5 percent of the country's workforce, underscoring how rapid aging and persistent old-age poverty are reshaping the labor market.
According to Ministry of Data and Statistics, the number of employed people aged 70 or older reached 2.16 million in 2025, nearly doubling from 1.22 million in 2018. Their share of total employment climbed from 4.5 percent to 7.5 percent over the same period.
The milestone came just four years after the number of workers in the age group first surpassed 1.5 million in 2021. Employment among those aged 70 and above has since expanded by between 7.1 percent and 9.7 percent annually.
South Korea became a super-aged society in 2024, with people aged 65 and older accounting for more than 20 percent of the population. The number of people aged 70 and above rose from 5.03 million in 2018 to 6.82 million in 2025, providing a larger pool of potential workers.
Yet experts say many older Koreans continue working because they cannot afford to retire.
The relative poverty rate among people aged 65 and older stood at 39.8 percent in 2024, the highest among member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The figure was nearly three times the OECD average and means roughly four out of every 10 elderly Koreans lived on less than half of the national median income.
The employment surge has been particularly notable among men. The number of employed men aged 70 and older rose 9.6 percent on year to 1.11 million in 2025 after first crossing the 1 million mark a year earlier. Female employment in the age group increased 8.7 percent to 1.05 million, also surpassing 1 million for the first time.
The broader shift has altered the age composition of the workforce. The number of employed people aged 60 and older reached 6.83 million last year, exceeding workers in their 50s, who totaled 6.68 million. It marked the first time since age-based employment statistics were introduced in 1963 that workers aged 60 and above outnumbered those in their 50s.
Government surveys suggest financial pressures remain a key reason many seniors stay economically active.
Among Koreans aged 65 to 79 who expressed a desire to continue working, 51.3 percent cited living expenses as the primary reason, while 38.1 percent said they worked for personal fulfillment and satisfaction.
A separate survey by the National Pension Research Institute highlighted concerns over retirement income adequacy.
In its 2025 report on recipients of the Basic Pension, based on a survey of 2,000 beneficiaries, only 19.9 percent said the current monthly payment level of about 340,000 won was appropriate. Nearly half, or 47.7 percent, said 400,000 won would be a more suitable amount, while another 20 percent favored 500,000 won.
The survey found pension recipients earned an average monthly income of 1.27 million won, with the basic pension accounting for 26 percent of recurring income. Some 42.8 percent of recipients were still working, mainly in cleaning services, sales, public-order support and government-backed senior employment programs.
As the country's senior population is projected to continue growing rapidly over the next two decades, economists expect the number of workers aged 70 and older to remain above 2 million for the foreseeable future, intensifying debates over pension reform, retirement security and the creation of higher-quality jobs for older workers.
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