South Koreans became up to two years YOUNGER overnight after major change to bizarre rule

SOUTH Koreans are somewhat dipping into the fountain of youth after the nation scrapped a bizarre age rule. Residents will shave off either one or two years today after the country’s traditional counting method of maturity was ditched. AFPSouth Koreans have rewinded the clock by up to two years following the rule change[/caption] AFPThe nation has scrapped its traditional aging system to follow the rest of the world[/caption] AFPSchoolboy Yoon Jae-ha said he was thrilled that his age had ‘shrunk’[/caption] The Ministry of Government Legislation announced that the revisions to the Basic Administrative Act and Civil Act, which were passed in December, will come into effect from Wednesday. It means the nation will axe the original system, which calculates age based on the year a person is born rather than their birthday. Citizens were previously considered to be one year old at birth and they only age on January 1 each year. A baby born on New Year’s Eve would already be classed as two years old when the clock strikes midnight, despite being in the world for just a matter of hours. Gangnam Style sensation Psy has the burden of this baffling birthday, which made him two years old just a day after he was born. But the barmy method has now been abandoned in favour of the standardised and internationally-recognised counting system. It means South Korean tots will now be one year old after passing their first birthday – and adults are able to claw some years back. The rule change means that every resident will be one or two years younger, depending on when their birthday is.   Therefore Psy now technically boasts three ages – 45, 46, and 47 – his globally recognised age, his Korean “calendar age” and his age under the nation’s confusing former method. Many have expressed their joy at being able to reverse their age and are viewing it as an opportunity to relive their “lost” years. Choi Hyun-ji, a 27-year-old office worker in Seoul, told AFP: “I was about to turn 30 next year, but now I have some more time earned and I love it. It’s just great to feel like getting younger.” Housewife Lee Jung-hee also told of her excitement at being able to dodge her 60th birthday which she was due to celebrate next year. She gushed: “It feels good. For people like me, who were supposed to turn 60 next year, it makes you feel like you’re still young.” Schoolboy Yoon Jae-ha added that he was thrilled that his “age had shrunk.” “I like being younger because then my mum will take care of me longer,” he said. The new rules will apply to laws, contracts and official documents – although some sectors will continue to use the traditional method. The international age system will not be adopted for Korea’s mandatory military conscription, starting school and buying alcohol or tobacco. Korea’s perplexing aging protocol had come under fire in recent years due to its vagueness and its clash with global customs. It has even opened the floodgates for legal disputes, as some people have claimed they lost out on cash while retiring prematurely. Employees’ salaries are gradually reduced as they near their senior years under Korea’s peak wage system. “We expect legal disputes, complaints and social confusion that have been caused over how to calculate ages will be greatly reduced,” Minister of Government Legislation Lee Wan-kyu said during a briefing on Monday. Others complained the uncertainty could have had perilous consequences during the pandemic, when some vaccines were slapped with age restrictions. It left many residents unsure of what was deemed safe for them to take. South Korean medical and legal documents have followed the international norm for calculating age since the early 1960s. But many people have continued to abide by the traditional method when measuring maturity throughout everyday life. Most citizens are simply accustomed to living with two different ages. The nation’s reputation has suffered as a result, as the system is regarded as outdated and problematic. President Yoon Suk Yeol has previously criticised the system as being a drain on resources. Lee Wan-kyu said of the rule change: “The revisions are meaningful in that the use of the international age system now becomes a clear rule. “This was one of the major campaign promises pursued by President Yoon Suk Yeol to reduce social and administrative confusion.’ “Uniformly using the international age system will reduce unnecessary social disputes resulting from the mixed use of age systems. “The ministry will closely cooperate with relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety as well as local governments, to enhance education and promotional activities in order to establish a culture of using the international age system in people’s daily lives at the earliest possible date.” He explained that any exceptions to the rule will remain in place because it is “easier to manage.” China, Japan, and even North Korea dropped the traditional system decades ago, but it continued to be used in the South until now. Getty - ContributorGangnam Style star Psy was classed as two years old just a day after he was born on New Year’s Eve[/caption] AFPOfficials hope the move will help quell confusion and legal disputes over age[/caption] AFPSouth Koreans are now one or two years younger, depending on when their birthday is[/caption] EPAThe changes to the Basic Administrative Act and Civil Act were rolled out on Wednesday[/caption]