RESEARCH NOTES

Retirement Age for 40s and 50s is Accelerating — The Shock of the 60-Year Legal Retirement Age vs. the Reality of Retirement at 52.9

Although the legal retirement age is 60, the actual retirement clock stops much earlier. As of May 2026, South Korea's labor market shows a stark contrast between appearances and reality. According to employment trends for March 2026 released by the Statistics Korea (National Data Agency) on April 15, 2026, the overall employment rate hit 62.7%, marking a record high for the month of March since monthly statistics began in 1982.