The report found that the number of people aged 55-79 reached 17.02 million in May, up 570,000 from a year earlier, making up 37 percent of the population aged 15 and older, which totaled 45.98 million.
About 60.9 percent of them were classified as economically active or part of the labor force. These older workers were mainly employed in health and social welfare services (14.8 percent) and manufacturing (12.0 percent). About 30.5 percent were still working in their main lifetime jobs, where they had stayed for an average of 17 years and 7 months.
The average age of those who remained in their longest-held jobs was 62.6, while those who left their main lifetime jobs retired at an average age of 53. The most common reasons for leaving their jobs were business downturns, work stoppages or closures, accounting for 24.9 percent, followed by worsening health at 22.1 percent and family caregiving at 15.2 percent.
Some 8.97 million of them were pension recipients, with an average monthly payment of 880,000 won over the past year. Men received an average of 1.13 million won, while women received 610,000 won.
About 11.78 million older adults said they wanted to keep working in the future, with their average desired retirement age at 73.6. Their top considerations when choosing a job were workload and working hours at 30.8 percent, pay at 20.3 percent and the ability to continue working at 16.3 percent.
A quarter of them wanted to earn 3 million won or more per month, followed by 18.0 percent who sought 2 million won to less than 2.5 million won.
AJP Takeaways:
- South Koreans aged 55 to 79 numbered 17.02 million as of May 2026, up 570,000 from a year earlier, making up 37 percent of South Korea's population aged 15 and older, which totaled 45.98 million, according to a report released by South Korea's Ministry of Data and Statistics on Aug. 5, 2026.
- About 60.9 percent of South Koreans aged 55 to 79 were classified as economically active or part of the labor force as of May 2026, with health and social welfare services (14.8 percent) and manufacturing (12.0 percent) the most common employment sectors.
- About 30.5 percent of South Koreans aged 55 to 79 were still working in their main lifetime jobs as of May 2026, having stayed in those positions for an average of 17 years and 7 months.
- About 8.97 million South Koreans aged 55 to 79 were pension recipients as of May 2026, receiving an average monthly payment of 880,000 won over the past year, with men receiving an average of 1.13 million won and women receiving 610,000 won.
- About 11.78 million South Koreans aged 55 to 79 said they wanted to continue working in the future, with an average desired retirement age of 73.6, citing workload and working hours (30.8 percent), pay (20.3 percent), and the ability to continue working (16.3 percent) as their top job considerations.
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