Three ages in Korea
| Name | How it is counted | Born 15 Nov 1995, as of 30 Sep 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| International age (만 나이) | Years since birth; +1 on each birthday | 30 |
| Year age (연 나이) | Current year minus birth year | 31 |
| Traditional Korean age (세는 나이) | Year age + 1 (you are 1 at birth, +1 every 1 January) | 32 |
Since 28 June 2023, Korean law, contracts and official documents use international age by default, the same as most of the world. You may still hear the traditional count in daily conversation, especially from older people, and a few laws still use year age.
Where year age still applies
The Youth Protection Act uses year age, so you can buy alcohol and tobacco from 1 January of the year you turn 19, regardless of your birthday. Military service rules for Korean men also count by year age.
FAQ
Is "Korean age" still used?
Not legally. Since the 2023 change, if a document says "age" without saying otherwise, it means international age. Socially, some people still say their traditional age, so asking "만으로?" (in international age?) is common.
What about people born on 29 February?
In non-leap years, this calculator treats 1 March as the birthday, following how Korean civil law counts periods.
Why did Korea have a different age system?
The traditional count treated a newborn as one year old and added a year for everyone on New Year's Day. A baby born on 31 December could be "two" the next day.