Southern Korea mulls closing age that is arcane to complement remainder of globe

A baby is one on the day it is born, and turns two on New Year’s Day, even if it is the very next day in South Korea

When asked their age with a foreigner, many Southern Koreans give both their ‘Korean’ and ‘international’ ages. Photograph: Choi Won-Suk/AFP/Getty Images

Last modified on Sun 2 Jun 2019 16.50 BST

A South Korean MP is trying to overturn a tradition that is centuries-old which every newborn turns one in the time they truly are created as well as 2 in the next New Year’s Day.

The custom that is unusual a child created on New hookup Chico Year’s Eve becomes couple of years old the moment the clock hits midnight.

When expected their age by way of a foreigner, numerous South Koreans give both their “Korean age” and “international age”, followed closely by an explanation that invariably will leave the questioner confused.

The system’s origins are not clear. One theory is the fact that switching 12 months old at delivery takes into account time invested within the womb – with nine months rounded as much as 12. other people link it to an old Asian system that is numerical failed to have the thought of zero.

Explanations for the year that is extra on 1 January are more complicated.

Some specialists point out the idea that ancient Koreans put their 12 months of delivery inside the Chinese calendar that is 60-year, but, at any given time whenever there were no regular calendars, tended to overlook the time of the delivery and simply included on a complete 12 months in the very very first day for the lunar calendar. The excess year on 1 January became prevalent as more South Koreans began studying the calendar that is western.

Now, though, an MP is trying to end the tradition, claiming that numerous of their compatriots worry it creates Southern Korea, Asia’s fourth-biggest economy and a worldwide technology giant, appear away from step along with the rest worldwide.

“The biggest issue is that the appropriate age as well as the age found in everyday everyday lives are different,” says Hwang Ju-hong, whom recently introduced a bill that will need the federal government to make use of worldwide many years in official papers also to encourage individuals to utilize them in everyday activity.

“The worldwide age can be used in courts, hospitals and public workplaces, even though the Korean age can be used in people’s day-to-day life. The calculation that is different causes plenty of confusion and inconvenience.”

Hwang, whom claims to possess widespread help among MPs additionally the public, said moms and dads with infants created in December stress that their offspring will encounter issues when they mix with young ones who’re actually older and bigger but, in Korean terms, would be the age that is same.

“They be worried about the possibility that their infants might be at a drawback at daycare centers due to their relatively little size,” he says, noting that Asia abolished its old-fashioned age system through the Cultural Revolution, while Japan adopted international ages during the early 1900s. North Korea began utilizing international many years in 1985.

The South age that is korean could be specially disconcerting for the moms and dads of young ones created later within the 12 months. Kim Sun-mi, whose child was created on 30 December year that is last stated she preferred to offer her child’s age in months while she ended up being still extremely young.

“I think I’ll begin using her age that is korean when develops a bit,” Kim stated. But she thinks it’s “absurd” that her child celebrated her 2nd birthday celebration just 2 days after she was created. “The Korean age system poses numerous drawbacks for children which can be created later on within the year,” she said.

“I even saw some posts that are online exactly just just how many people prepare their pregnancies so their babies won’t be born later on into the 12 months. Many people even ‘cheat’ by waiting to join up their children’ birth in January. I am hoping the bill shall pass.”

Not absolutely all South Koreans concur that the calculation that is traditional anachronistic, arguing so it reflects the value eastern Asian communities put on the lunar calendar, rather than the solar calendar seen in the western.

“Unifying the age calculation therefore it falls based on the worldwide age system will mean breaking with conventional tips of the time in line with the lunar calendar,” said Jang Yoo-seung, a senior researcher at Dankook University’s Oriental Studies analysis Centre.

“Some people state it’s the same for international ages that it’s weird for babies born in December to turn two after just a few days, but. A child created today, and another who had been created a year ago and is born to commemorate his / her birthday celebration the next day, have actually birth times which are nearly year aside, but they’re both ‘zero’ years old.

“Why can’t the Korean age and the worldwide age system coexist, just as that the original lunar brand brand brand new 12 months vacation and Christmas time coexist?”

Seoul resident Kim Yun-soo, whose Korean age is 32, agrees that the alteration shouldn’t be enforced in a misguided try to imitate the western. “The Korean age system comes from recognising enough time infants invest in their mother’s womb, which will be section of Korea’s old-fashioned culture,” he said.

“I’m not entirely in opposition to utilising the worldwide age system, but we wonder on individuals. if it is required to impose it”

Kyungmi Choi in Seoul and Associated Press contributed to the report