Overview

The Age Calculator determines both Korean age (counting age) and international age (full age) based on your date of birth. Since June 2023, South Korea officially unified all legal and administrative ages to the international age system.

Formula

International Age = Current Year − Birth Year − (1 if birthday has not yet occurred, else 0). Korean Age = Current Year − Birth Year + 1.

How to Use

1. 1Enter your date of birth.
2. 2Both international age and Korean counting age are displayed.
3. 3Optionally, change the reference date to check your age at a specific point in time.

Examples

Background

Korea traditionally used a 'counting age' system where everyone starts at 1 at birth and gains a year every New Year's Day, resulting in ages 1-2 years higher than international age. This caused confusion in legal, medical, and international contexts. On June 28, 2023, the 'Uniform Age Act' took effect, standardizing all legal and administrative matters to international age. Legal thresholds for military service, voting rights (age 18), alcohol and tobacco (age 19), and driver's licenses (age 18) all follow international age, while school enrollment is based on birth year.

Tips

• ✔Since June 28, 2023, all legal and administrative ages in South Korea use the international age system.
• ✔Ages on Korean resident registration cards are based on international age.
• ✔If your birthday follows the lunar calendar, convert it to the Gregorian calendar first.
• ✔Legal thresholds for military service, voting, and drinking are based on international age.

FAQ