Challenges and Solutions in the Super-aged Society

Korea University held an opening ceremony for the Institute on Aging.

Korea University has established the Institute on Aging to research and find solutions to health, social, institutional, and facility-environmental problems in Korea, which has become a super-aged society. Korea University appointed Kim Tae-Il, Professor in the Department of Public Administration at Korea University as the Director of the institute and held an opening ceremony for the institute on November 30 (Wednesday) at 4:00 p.m. The ceremony was attended by key figures from inside and outside the university, including Chung Jin-Taek, Korea University President, Seo Hyung-Soo, former Vice Chairperson of the Committee for Low Fertility and Aging Society, and Lee Soo-Young, Dean of Korea Polytechnic I. In addition, Na Kyung-won, Vice Chairperson of the Committee for Aging Society and Low Fertility, congratulated the opening of the Institute on Aging through a video message.

The Institute on Aging aims to build a hub for research on aging societies connecting academia, business, and government, focusing on the issues of research into aging society, leading the agenda regarding aging society, and creating aging-related research and education networks on and off campus.

As Korea has become a super-aged society faster than developed countries such as Japan and France, there has been a need to establish a research platform to find solutions to the challenges of a super-aged society and even contribute to East Asian countries and humanity as a whole. In this regard, a central research institute with a long-term perspective, serving as a research hub that integrates the research achievements of academia and the needs of the frontline and accommodates the demands of businesses, governments, and various sectors of society, has been needed.

Accordingly, the Institute on Aging was established in response to the need for a leading university organization that heads research on issues related to aging, provides accurate information to society, and presents a vision for future society through research across various fields.

▲ From left in the front row: Yoon Bong-June, Vice President for Research Affairs; Seo Hyung-Soo, former Vice Chairperson of the Committee for Low Fertility and Aging Society; Kim Tae-Il, Director of the Institute on Aging; Chung Jin-Taek, President of Korea University; Lee Soo-Young, Dean of Korea Polytechnic I; Lee Kwan-Young, Executive Vice President for Research; and Song Whan-bhum, Vice President of the Global Institute for Japanese Studies

In his congratulatory speech, President Chung said, “By 2025, South Korea will have an unprecedented demographic structure, a super-aged society, with 20 percent of its citizens over the age of 65. Addressing the challenges of an aging society requires convergence research that seeks future strategies and responses to the changing demographic structure along with research on the elderly. The Institute on Aging will establish networks that connect experts in aging research on and off campus, and will operate a research cluster that transcends the boundaries of academic fields. This institute will not be just a university research institute, but will find appropriate solutions in connection with numerous organizations that need to prepare for the upcoming aging society, such as businesses, communities, and central and local governments. The Institute on Aging aims to become a platform for practical intelligence by becoming a hub for aging research that solves challenges in various fields of society together with academia.”

Professor Kim Tae-il, who was appointed Director of the Institute on Aging, said in his greeting, “With the Institute on Aging, we must prepare for the future society with integrated thinking in the face of the unavoidable future of a super-aged society. The establishment of this institute is a leading opportunity for Korea University to contribute to solving various problems in our society by gathering varied university talent in response to the call of the times.”

Na Kyung-won, Vice Chairperson of the Committee for Aging Society and Low Fertility, said in her congratulatory video message, “Preparation for an aging society is neither someone else’s nor a future problem, but something we must prepare for as soon as possible. It is reassuring to hear that Korea University has stepped up and launched the Institute on Aging to address the challenges faced by individuals and society in relation to being an aging society and to present related solutions. I will work hard to act as a bridge to integrate the policy recommendations of the Institute on Aging into policy-making.”

Seo Hyung-Soo, former Vice Chairperson of the Committee for Low Fertility and Aging Society, who attended the ceremony, said, “There are research institutes focused on aging society at various universities, but unfortunately there is a lack of solutions presented from a comprehensive perspective. By 2050, Korea will have an unprecedented social structure, with more than 4 million elderly people over the age of 85. There is no such social structure anywhere in the world, so it is time to come up with theories and measures that fit the situation in Korea. Searching for comprehensive and systematic solutions requires a new perspective. It is good news that Korea University has established the Institute on Aging at this time when all academic fields must be mobilized to respond to the problems of being an aging society. I hope that Korea University will come up with an integrated plan for the challenges of being an aging society.”

The establishment of the Institute on Aging is in line with the spirit of Korea University, which takes the lead in considering and responding to the nation's future challenges. This institute will gather all of Korea University's abundant academic and human resources to preemptively prepare for a super-aged society and seek solutions. As a comprehensive platform connecting domestic and foreign experts in aging research, it will play a pivotal role in linking academia with external institutions. Also, as a hub for research on aging in East Asia, it will establish a foundation for joint research with prestigious universities such as Tokyo University's Aged Society Research Institute in Japan and Tsinghua University's Center for Aging Society in China.

The Age Initiative of KU (Director Song Wan-Beom), which became the basis of the Institute on Aging, was established in July 2020 as a research center affiliated with the Global Institute for Japanese Studies at Korea University. The institute jointly conducted the Senior Perception Survey with Yuhan-Kimberly and signed MOUs with GS-ITM, CBS, and Lotte E&C. In 2021, it published a book titled "2022 Senior Trends That Korea Will Be Enthusiastic About," which sold more than 10,000 copies.

The Age Initiative of KU is taking the lead in building an aging research network in Korea, China, and Japan by holding international academic conferences on aging research with Tokyo University’s Aged Society Research Institute, Tsinghua University's Center for Aging Society, and Fudan University’s Aging Society Research Institute. In addition, it has been carrying out various research activities that serve as a basis for research on aging society, such as holding a seminar titled “Measures for Aging Society in Korea and Japan” hosted by the Japanese Embassy’s Public Information and Culture Center in October this year. These achievements led to the establishment of the Institute on Aging.

The Institute on Aging will conduct research to find solutions to the problems faced by individuals and society in an aging society, conduct convergence research based on Korea University's excellent research capabilities, and actively engage in research and external activities to solve the problems of an aging society in Korea.