1,201 centenarians receive commemorative canes

By Yun Suh-young

Han Yoon-ha who is 100 years old this year received a commemorative cane made of rare wood from the government, Thursday, as a token of respect and congratulations for maintaining good health.

Han’s formula for healthy living is an orderly life including regular exercise and moderate food consumption. He doesn’t drink alcohol or smoke and has never been to a hospital. He also actively engages in religious activities.

There are many more centenarians like Han who are living healthy, active lives.

A total of 1,201 old men and women like Han received the canes from the government Thursday during the ceremony for centenarians held at the Kim Koo Museum in Yongsan, central Seoul.

The gifts were bestowed Thursday ahead of the 16th anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons, designated by the United Nations in 1991 which falls on Oct. 1.

As a token of respect and celebration of their long life, the Korean government began issuing commemorative canes to centenarians on this day in 1993 under the President’s name.

The cane, which is light and strong, symbolizes health and long life, and the tradition of giving them to the elderly dates back to the Silla Dynasty.

During the speech at the ceremony, Minister of Health and Welfare Rim Che-min said, “We will strive to push forth implementing better welfare policies for the elderly in preparation for the society reaching a senior citizen population of 10 million. We ask for your wisdom to help us enter the era of an aging society without many problems.”

The number of elderly receiving the canes has increased over the years. In 2009, 884 centenarians received canes but the numbers continue to gradually go up, to 904 in 2010, 927 in 2011, and 1,201 this year.

There are more elderly women than men and their ratio remains high.

In 2010, of the 904 centenarians, 212 were men and 692 were women. In 2011, of the 927 centenarians, 162 were men and 765 were women. This year, of the 1,201 centenarians, 192 were men and 1,009 were women. The average life expectancy of women is 7 years longer than for men.

The common characteristics among people who live longer is that they don’t drink or smoke. According to last year’s report by Statistics Korea, of all the people over the age of 100, 71 percent did not smoke and 69.8 percent did not drink. Fifty-eight percent of them did not smoke or drink their entire lives.

The nation’s statistics agency expects the number of people over the age of 100 to reach 10,000 by 2030 and 20,000 by 2040.