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6 out of 10 Koreans back raising senior age threshold to 70
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By
Baek Byung-yeul
Published
May 1, 2026 5:16 pm
KST
Updated
May 1, 2026 5:17 pm
KST
A senior looks at job postings at the Western Employment Welfare Plus Center in Mapo District, Seoul, Nov. 26, 2025. Newsis
A growing majority of Koreans support raising the legal age for senior benefits from 65 to 70, according to a survey, Thursday, as debate over one of the country’s most symbolic age-based welfare policies — free subway rides for seniors aged 65 and or older — gains momentum amid rising fiscal pressure and rapid population aging.
A Gallup Korea survey conducted from April 28 to 30 found that 59 percent of respondents supported increasing the age threshold for senior benefits to 70 from the current 65, while 30 percent opposed it and 12 percent had no opinion.
The results show a shift in public opinion over the past decade, with support for the proposal rising from 46 percent in 2015. In a 2023 survey, 60 percent of respondents favored raising the senior age threshold for basic pensions and elderly benefits to 70, while 34 percent opposed it.
Support for raising the threshold was relatively consistent across age groups, ranging between 55 percent and 65 percent.
People in their 30s showed the highest support at 65 percent, while those in their 60s were the least supportive at 55 percent. By political orientation, 68 percent of progressive respondents backed the proposal, compared to 59 percent of conservatives and 61 percent of moderates (multiple responses allowed).
The survey also highlighted that most people believe they should pay for their own living costs after they retire with six in 10 respondents agreeing. Only 29 percent said the government and society should bear that responsibility, while 4 percent pointed to their children.
The results come at a time when the government is rethinking welfare rules that were created many years ago, when Korea had a much younger population.
Seniors are issued free subway tickets at Seoul Station in Seoul, Feb. 7, 2023. Newsis
One of the most disputable examples is the free subway ride system for seniors aged 65 and older, which was introduced in 1984. At the time, people aged 65 or older accounted for just 4.1 percent of the population. That figure has since climbed to 20.3 percent percent as of 2025, according to data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics.
The expansion of the elderly population has significantly increased the financial burden of the system, especially for urban transit operators. Budget Minister Park Hong-keun said on April 21 that free subway rides for seniors cause about 450 billion won ($305 million) in losses each year in Seoul alone.
“The policy was introduced when the elderly population was relatively small, but Korea is now entering a super-aged era,” Park said. He added that discussions on raising the legal age for senior benefits and improving the self-financing capacity of local transit operators are necessary.
The subway fare debate reflects a larger shift in Korea’s welfare philosophy, moving from age-based support toward more targeted systems focused on income and sustainability.
Major cities abroad have already moved in that direction. Paris provides free transit benefits to seniors aged 65 and older who earn less than 2,200 euros per month, while Japan generally targets its transportation support at lower-income residents aged 70 and above.
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