Shrinking Korea
This is the text version of the interactive 3D documentary. 한국어
Contents · Chapter 3 What changes
The weight to carry
Older people per 100 working-age people: 27 → 103
Three piles
Now let’s stack the same dots by age group. In 2023 there are 3.8 times as many working-age people (yellow) as older people (pink). By 2072, every 100 working-age people will support 103 older people. That is close to one person supporting one person.
Why?Supporting means the money people earn pays taxes, pensions and health insurance, and that money helps older people live and get treatment.
Go furtherThis ratio is called the old-age dependency ratio. Not everyone aged 15–64 actually works, so counting only workers makes the load even heavier.
View in 3D →