노인은 몇 살부터인가: 국내 법•제도에서의 노인 연령 기준과 보건의료적 함의

초록

Although South Korea is experiencing rapid population aging, the social definition of “old age” remains tethered to the traditional chronological threshold of 65 years, which may not reflect improvements in health status and life expectancy among today’s young-old age groups. Korean laws have defined old age ranging from 55 to 65 across different sectors. Health and long-term care entitlements and senior discounts typically begin at 65. In contrast, mandatory retirement is commonly set around 60, and pension eligibility has been gradually shifting upward toward 65, resulting in a potential gap between labor market exit and benefit access. Treating heterogeneous older adults as a single policy group may dilute prevention-oriented services for the young-old age group, misdirect resources away from frail and oldest-old populations, and amplify downstream costs through avoidable functional decline and widening inequities. Moreover, policy directions include aligning age boundaries across employment, pensions, and health and social care; complementing chronological thresholds with functional and frailty-based assessments; and prioritizing preventive and work-enabling interventions for capable older adults while concentrating support on vulnerable groups. Furthermore, redesigning the definition of old age in line with longevity and functional capacity is essential to strengthen policy coherence, promote healthy aging, and improve fiscal sustainability in South Korea.

키워드