S. Korea undergoes quick transition to aged society: report

SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's population inched up in 2008, with the
ratio of elderly people growing at a fast pace, a government report showed
Friday.

According to the report by the National Statistical Office, the nation's
population totaled 48.6 million at the end of last year, up 0.31 percent from the
48.45 million recorded a year earlier.
Those aged 65 or older came to 5.01 million compared with 4.81 million a year
ago, accounting for 10 percent of the total population. It is the first time that
the age group breached the 5-million mark, the report showed.
The figures were unveiled as the nation is quickly becoming an aged society,
defined as one in which more than 14 percent of the population is 65 or older.
The nation became an aging society in 2000, when the ratio exceeded 7 percent.
Despite almost stagnant population growth, the ratio of foreigners increased.
Registered foreigners grew to 8.54 million from the previous year's 7.66 million,
making up 1.8 percent of the total population, according to the report.
Thanks to improved medical technologies, life expectancy rose to 79.6 years in
2007, up 5.2 years from a decade ago. Women are forecast to live an average 82.7
years, longer than men's 76.1 years, the report showed.
Cancer was the No. 1 killer for South Koreans. For every 100,000 people, 137.5
died of cancer in 2007. Cerebral vascular and cardiovascular diseases came next,
with death rates of 59.6 and 43.7, respectively. Suicide followed with 24.8, the
report showed.
kokobj@yna.co.kr