As Korea enters an aging society, the label ‘gerontophobia’ has emerged. This grows from ‘conflicts with the elderly’ and ‘discrimination against the elderly’ that occur throughout society as we enter a super-aging society next year. Expressions of gerontophobia are being used excessively online, and gerontophobia is happening daily. Just look at the recent series of accidents involving elderly drivers, and the criticism of the elderly.
In his message for the 4th World Day of Grandparents and Elderly, Pope Francis said: "The accusation that the elderly ‘steal the future of the young’ exists everywhere these days, the unfounded prejudices continue to fuel the conflict between the young and the old." He urged us to have open hearts and happy faces toward the elderly. In celebration of the ‘World Day of Grandparents and Elderly', the article looked into the problem of gerontophobia in society.
Inconvenient Beings—
The article gives the example of a young office worker who was approached by an old man as she went home on the subway feeling tired and reminded by the elder: "I am an old man who has to stand but a young person sits— is this appropriate?" This seat was not for the elderly, she gave up her seat but did not understand the old man's request. Another old man pushed her away as she was getting out of the train. It was an especially difficult commute home for her.
Another example was a 30-year-old office worker, who recently felt uncomfortable after visiting a cafe with her colleagues after lunch. After ordering drinks and sitting down to wait, old people came into the cafe. The old people seemed to be friends. They not only spoke to the cafe staff rudely but also asked for understanding. Even after the old people sat down, she continued to feel uncomfortable. They laughed and talked loudly, completely disregarding the people around them. In the end, she and her friends had to leave their seats.
According to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea's Comprehensive Report on Elderly Human Rights (2018), 80% of young people have negative prejudices against the elderly. The reasons for this are changes in perception between generations due to changes in social structure and an increase in the economic burden of support due to the increase in the elderly population. According to the survey of the Presidential Committee on Low Birth Rate and Aging Society (2021), Korea's level of discrimination against the elderly ranked second among 15 OECD countries.
Recently, as the number of elderly people aged 65 or older in Korea exceeded 10 million for the first time, voices of concern about discrimination and hatred against the elderly are growing louder.
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, as of July 10, the number of registered residents aged 65 or older reached 10,006,200, exceeding 10,000,000 for the first time ever. This is 19.51% of the total registered population of 51,269,012, meaning that one in five people is aged 65 or older. Next year, the elderly population will exceed 20% of the total, entering a “super-aging society.” As the elderly population increases, conflicts between generations will gradually intensify, and as the economic burden of supporting the elderly increases, discrimination and hatred will also intensify.
In reality, there are quite a few elderly people who are hurt by the words, actions, and uncomfortable stares of others.
A university professor in the Department of Social Welfare said: "Compared to other countries, discrimination and hatred against the elderly in our country are serious. The younger generation tends to view the elderly as unproductive in economic activity, so discrimination and hatred against the elderly seem to be more prominent."
A religious sister working with the elderly said: “When I counsel elderly abuse cases, I often see children viewing their parents as 'unhelpful beings'. Discrimination against and hatred for the elderly often starts at home. The tendency to view slow and unproductive elderly people as unnecessary in our society is fostering discrimination and hatred.”
The professor emphasized: “We need to make an effort to understand what kind of life we have lived and what kind of life we are living now. It is important to acknowledge the differences between generations. Elderly people need to think about what role they can play for young people, and young people need to think about what role they can play for old people. Education to understand the differences between generations from a young age should be carried out at home, school, and in society, and the media should also sufficiently inform this awareness.”
The Sister concluded: "It is a wrong perspective to distinguish between the elderly as unnecessary and the young as needing protection. Instead of looking for each other’s shortcomings and confronting each other, our society should highlight each other’s strengths and roles and strive to act accordingly. I hope the elderly can show their generosity by sharing their experiences."
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