South Korea’s relative poverty rate for people aged 66 and older fell to 37.7% in 2024, down 2.1 percentage points from a year earlier, but remained the highest among OECD members on the comparable 2023 measure at 39.8%. Relative poverty means income below half the median. People aged 65 and older represented 21.6% of the population, or about 11.12 million to 11.13 million people, placing South Korea in the super-aged category. The Ministry of Data and Statistics projects the share will reach 30% in 2036 and exceed 40% in 2050. Older adults’ financial self-reliance, employment and retirement preparation have increased, although social support and leisure indicators remain mixed. Depending on the cited release, 74.7% covered living expenses themselves or through spouses in 2024 or 2025, up 16.2 percentage points over a decade. The employment rate for people aged 65 and older reached 39.5% in 2025, while 58.7% of those aged 65 to 79 wanted to continue working.