Samuel Len Politics & City Desk Editor

Korea is entering a quiet but profound demographic revolution.

Amid the headlines about declining birthrates and an aging population lies a more urgent, human story: By 2049, more than half of all one-person households in the country are projected to be aged 65 or older, according to Statistics Korea. These older adults are not only economically vulnerable but also at an increasing risk of isolation, invisibility and even dying alone.

Already, the scale of the challenge is staggering.

As of 2024, there were nearly 3 million one-person households aged 60 and above, yet only about 40.2 percent of them were employed, according to government data. Employment rates among Korea’s elderly are high by international standards, but out of necessity rather than choice. Many continue in low-paying or part-time jobs simply to make ends meet.

Living alone in old age in Korea increasingly means facing persistent poverty.

About 40 percent of Koreans over 65 live on incomes below the median — the highest rate among developed nations, according to the OECD. Women are especially vulnerable, as those who spent years as unpaid homemakers often lack adequate pension coverage. This leaves........

© The Korea Times