South Korea’s older population is increasingly financing its own living expenses, with 74.7% of people aged 65 and older relying on themselves or their spouses in 2024, up 16.2 percentage points over a decade. The share relying on children or relatives fell to 13.1%. Work remains important: 58.7% of people aged 65 to 79 want to work in the future, mainly to help cover living costs. People aged 65 and older now number about 11.13 million, or 21.6% of the population, making Korea a super-aged society (at least 20% aged 65 or older). Older-headed households, financial assets and later-life preparation have also increased, but relative poverty remains severe. In 2024, 37.7% of people aged 66 and older had incomes below half the median, while Korea’s 2023 rate of 39.8% was the highest among OECD members. A ministry official said continued government employment support could help reduce poverty further.