Tradition and Modernity in the Culture of Aging in Korea

With rapid societal changes and demographic aging in recent Korea, cultural value system related with aging has been changing dramatically. Korea has become youthcentered society and cultural context of family life has been altered. In this paper, the nature of the changes in some of the major themes of the Korean culture is discussed. The various impacts of these changes on the status, role, and life styles of the elderly people in contemporary Korea are also examined. The need to create a positive social attitude toward aging and cultural context friendly to the aged is discussed