'Yes, I'm still not old enough, but ...'
By Sho Chang-young
Several weeks ago, when I came back from going out, I found a letter in my mailbox. It was from our district office. My name and address had been printed on the envelope, and a printed notice was in it.
The notice read, "As a senior citizen who turns 65 on September 2022, you will be eligible for the Visiting Service for Senior Citizen Welfare. The official and the nurse from the district office will visit your home to guide you through welfare and health support services and to inform you of other services that can be provided through intensive counseling. If you would like to receive this service, please contact us at the number below. We look forward to serving you. Thank you.”
So I called the number. Despite the heavy rain, their visit went ahead as scheduled. First, the nurse did a simple health check. She measured my and my wife's blood pressure and blood sugar to make sure they were in a normal state and gave us some medical advice. The welfare official then explained some of the benefits available for me. She also guided me on the procedures for getting a senior citizen card.
A few days later, I went to the district office and was issued two cards. Now, I can ride the subway for free and will receive big discounts when entering various public facilities. In other words, I'm officially a senior citizen. It was expected. But on the other hand, it was not so pleasant.
When I was a young social novice and the welfare for the elderly was very weak, if someone turned 60, a celebration party was held, and gifts were given to them by their family as well as colleagues. At that time, being able to live to the age of 60 and to lead an active life were regarded as great blessings. Unfortunately, the lifespan of this writer's parents' was even shorter than that.
The situation today has changed dramatically. According to the most recent demographics, 17.5 percent of the population are over the age of 65, which is among the highest rates in the world. This is not good for the younger generation. While our society has been much enriched, the efforts of the younger generation to adapt to it are tougher than those of our time. And the increasing benefits to the older generation mean a soaring burden to younger people, who are significantly fewer in number.
It seems that the term, “intergenerational conflict,” is not unfamiliar to us. As part of the solution, some have suggested raising the official age of senior citizens to 70 years or older. But politicians can never ignore the voting rights of those 65 to 69 years or more, who already occupy a large part of the population. An editorial in The Korea Times on Sept. 9 carefully addressed the issue. The discussion of “belling the cat” may continue without a conclusion, and the problem will become more serious.
In my case, until I got my senior citizen card, if I saw an empty seat in the senior section on the subway, I would naturally go and sit there. But now, even when such a seat is vacant, I can't do that so easily. I'm afraid young people might stare at me in resentment.
Despite my concerns, every time I go out, I will check if my senior citizen card is in my wallet. Maybe it's one of the conflicts young seniors like me have with ourselves. It might also be a little symbol of a great challenge to our society.
The writer (sochan57@naver.com) is a retired principal of Gunsan Girls' High School.