"When the 44-year-old '65-year-old' changes"... Both MZ and seniors voiced their opinions in unison

To understand the perception of raising the elderly age and extending retirement age, which have become sensitive issues across generations due to rapid aging, Maeil Business Newspaper held an online debate on the 10th, inviting three people each from the 20s and 30s and the 50s and 60s.

Participants from various professions, including university students, office workers, teachers, and small business owners, gather together to brainstorm.

We had a heated debate.

Four out of six participants argued that the age threshold for the elderly should be raised from the current 65 years to 70 years or older.

On the other hand, two people emphasized that it is better to maintain the current age of 65.

Teacher Jihee Sun in her 50s (pseudonym) said, "Applying the elderly age standard established in the 1980s to the year 2025 is

There is a concern that the health status of the elderly has generally improved and the average lifespan has increased, so the standard age for seniors has also

He said that it is natural to increase the age to over 70.

 

Meanwhile, Mr. Kang Tae-hyun, in his 30s and working at a venture company, expressed opposition to raising the retirement age for seniors, stating, "Whether it's 50 or 60, health can deteriorate at any time, and simply raising the age without guaranteeing retirement is hard to accept."

 

As the legal age for the elderly increases, the timing for elderly individuals to receive various welfare benefits is also delayed.

Local governments are also preparing for these concerns because the increasing elderly population inevitably leads to greater financial burdens.

Seoul City announced its basic population policy plan last year, including a measure to change the welfare benefit eligibility age to 70 and older. Daegu City also decided to raise the free subway ride age to 70 by 2028.

However, as the age of the elderly increases and a 'welfare gap' emerges, there could be greater resistance from the elderly, so social consensus and a phased approach are necessary.

 

Recently, the ruling and opposition parties agreed on a pension reform plan that involves paying more and receiving more, but there are significant concerns that a gap in income after retirement could worsen elderly poverty. The age at which people can start receiving the National Pension will be adjusted from the current 63 to 65 (for those born in 1969), but since the retirement age is 60, there will be a five-year income gap before pension benefits begin.

 

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I support raising the legal age for the elderly, but if we're going to raise the legal age, we should also raise the retirement age.

 

What are the politicians really doing to ensure I can retire at the official retirement age and receive my pension... ㅡ,.ㅡ;;;