The allure of a short flight and the relatively low exchange rate of the yen has been prompting many Koreans to travel to neighboring Japan. One commercial aptly and happily blares on television these days, “lowest yen in 34 years,” beckoning budget-savvy tourists. Japan National Tourism recently released its June inbound tourist figures, saying that 3.13 million visitors arrived there, with Koreans at 703,300 making up for roughly one quarter of all travelers. I joined the trend for a July trip. The capital of Tokyo was hot and humid, and thronged with many tourists. Its unique energy and vibe were palpable.

Staying only for a few days, I decided to get around the city via the expansive and efficient subway and train lines. At times, it proved to be like a maze. It was an immense relief to find human traffic routers in especially in such stations as Shinjuku Station. What stood out among these uniformed staffers working underground at the subway stations was that they were mostly older. They mostly spoke Japanese but our phones faciliate in the translations. Then, I recalled upon arriving at Narita International Airport, the workers there also seemed to be mainly older adults, regulating the steady influx of tourists. They seemed well-trained, readily answering tourists' questions even amid reports of Japanese residents suffering from overtourism. Many a time during my three days there, I was tempted to ask their age, to draw some glimpse into how Japan managed its super-aging society status before Korea lunges forward. Japan became a "super-aged society" back in 2005, and its know-how has been sought since. It was refreshing to see older people working in such capacity in urban areas. Korea pales in comparison even as the country hurls toward a super-aged society as well.

On July 11, South Korea's Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that the number of those aged 65 and older registered as Korean residents exceeded 10 million or about 19.51 percent of South Korea's total population of 51.26 million. That means South Korea is very close to becoming a “super-aged society” where 20 percent of its population is 65 or older.

The portion of those 65 or older surpassed 10 percent or 11.79 percent of the total population by registering over 6 million in January 2013. The percentage of senior citizens, or those 65 or older, then grew, accounting for 15.48 percent of the population in December 2019 and 17.45 percent in April 2022.

As the nation's retirement age averages 60, and with the national pension program having only been in effect since the late 1980s, not many older Koreans live with financial independence. South Korea is known to suffer some of the highest poverty and suicide rates for older people among OECD member nations. That means more elderly will continue to look for jobs that are often relatively low-skilled and low-paying ones. Statistics Korea in early July said that it saw an increase of those in their 70s becoming employees in the first half of this year. A total of 1.92 million of those in their 70s found jobs in the first six months of the year, a rise by 150,000.

It's not only the quality of life, which is highly important for a society that seeks to age gracefully, that is affected. The Bank of Korea has recently forecast that if the nation's so-called "second baby boomers" — or those born from 1964 through 1974 — start retiring this year, the result will be a lower annual growth or a drop of 0.4 percentage points each year for the coming decade.

The declining total fertility rate of course compounds the problem. Korea, in particular its capital Seoul, is well-known for its hip, hallyu content of music, drama and food. The economy has catapulted on its come-from-behind, latecomer strategy for respective industries. We need to seriously contemplate and pounce on the question of why it cannot do the same for its aging population. True, Korean society has become advanced, featuring a complex set of societal/economic traits that need adroit consultations, negotiations and flexible application of policies and better conflict resolutions skills overall. The fast-paced growth and development that enables Korea to enjoy its current prosperity ironically requires us to find fast solutions to our changed social fabric.

The writer is a member of the editorial board.