The South Korean Government has announced it will stop using Korea’s traditional age-counting method on official documents from the middle of next year.
Under the South Korean system, babies are considered one year old at birth and everyone changes age on New Year’s Day.
That means a baby born today would turn two in a few weeks.
Official documents will now use the international standard measurement of ages. This will replace both the traditional method and other alternative age calculation methods currently used to calculate drinking, smoking, and military conscription ages.
A spokesperson for South Korea’s President says the move will reduce confusion. Minister of Government Legislation Lee Wan-kyu said it could also create a “positive social impact” if people “feel that their age is getting younger by one or two years”.
