한국사회 고령화 현상과 정부의 정책적 대응

Abstract

According to the United Nations' classification of society, Korea is regarded as an aging society. The proportion of elderly people among total population in Korean society has reached 11.0% in 2010 up from 7.0% in 2000. It is expected that the aging society in Korea will deepen and the population of elderly people would reach around 14.0% in 2018 unless the current low birth rate changers for the foreseeable future. It is imperative that Korean Government should actively engage in dealing with aging population and the social and economic problems caused by it. It has been agreed that the population aging are due to both declining birth rate and death rate. It is highly expected that the aging population in Korea will have great impacts on its society and economy. For example, decreasing youth labor supply and quality of labor can weaken not only Korean economic growth potential but also its financial fundamentals and sustainability, thereby bringing about generational conflict between the young and the old. The purpose of this paper is to look at the phenomenon of the aging population in Korean society in terms of its current development, cause and results through up-to-date statical data available. Next, it considers the Korean Government's responses towards population aging by comparatively examining two key government's policy papers, that is, the First Basic Plan on Low Birth and Aging Society, 2006~2005. Finally, it concludes by suggesting some tasks that Korean Government should take into account in dealing with population aging in Korea.