韩国将公布人口政策蓝图，迎接“超老龄化”社会

此番言论是在政府数据显示韩国 65 岁以上人口达到 1024 万之后发表的。

South Korea has formally become a "super-aged" society, with people aged 65 or older now accounting for over 20 per cent of the country's total population, the latest government data showed Friday.

周五最新的政府数据显示，韩国已正式进入“超老龄化”社会，65岁或以上的人口目前占该国总人口的20%以上。

The United Nations classifies countries where more than 7 per cent of the population is 65 or older as an aging society, those with over 14 per cent as an aged society, and those with more than 20 per cent as a super-aged society.

联合国将65岁以上人口比例超过7%的国家划分为老龄化社会，将人口比例超过14%的国家划分为老龄社会，将人口比例超过20%的国家划分为超老龄社会。

According to the data from Statistics Korea, the number of senior citizens in the country stood at 10.24 million as of December 1, up 250,000 from a year earlier.

韩国统计局的数据显示，截至12月1日，韩国老年人口数量为1024万人，比去年同期增加25万人。

The figure marks a sharp increase from 7.23 million in 2018, when South Korea first became an aged society.

这一数字较2018年韩国首次进入老龄化社会时的723万人大幅增加。

The rapidly aging population is largely attributed to a sustained low birth rate and increasing life expectancy.

人口迅速老龄化很大程度上归因于持续的低出生率和不断增长的预期寿命。

The total fertility rate -- the average number of children a woman is expected to have over her lifetime -- stood at 0.74 in the first half of this year, far below the replacement level of 2.1 needed to keep the population stable.

今年上半年，总和生育率（女性一生平均生育子女数）为 0.74，远低于保持人口稳定所需的 2.1 更替水平。

Meanwhile, the average life expectancy at birth rose to a record high of 83.58 years in 2022, up 0.34 years from the previous year.

与此同时，2022年出生时平均预期寿命升至历史新高，达到83.58岁，比上年提高0.34岁。

The presidential committee on ageing society and population policy said the government will come up with a demographic policy blueprint in the near future.

总统高龄化社会与人口政策委员会表示，政府将在近期制定人口政策蓝图。

"Considering the unprecedented and faster-than-expected pace of aging, we do not have much time," said Joo Hyung-hwan, vice chairman of the committee.

该委员会副主席朱亨焕（Joo Hyung-hwan）表示：“考虑到前所未有且快于预期的老龄化速度，我们没有太多时间。”

"We will promptly come up with actions so that the country does not miss the timing."

“我们将迅速采取行动，以免国家错过时机。”

Joo added it was noteworthy that the country has been showing signs of a recovery in its critically low birth rate.

Joo补充说，值得注意的是，该国极低的出生率已显示出复苏的迹象。

The number of babies born in South Korea increased at the fastest rate in 14 years in October.

10月份韩国出生婴儿数量增幅为14年来最快。

A total of 21,398 babies were born in October, up 13.4 per cent from the 18,878 newborns a year earlier. It marked the largest on-year increase since November 2010, when the number of childbirths grew by 17.5 per cent.

10月份共有21,398名新生儿出生，比去年同期的18,878名新生儿增加13.4%。这是自 2010 年 11 月以来的最大同比增幅，当时的分娩人数增长了 17.5%。

"The total fertility rate for this year is expected to reach 0.74, far above the previous estimate of 0.68," Joo said, noting such figures are a "hopeful signal" for the country's demographic challenges.

Joo表示：“今年的总生育率预计将达到0.74，远高于之前估计的0.68。”他指出，这些数字是该国人口挑战的“充满希望的信号”。

The vice chairman went on to say that the government will continue to expand support for families and pregnant women, and come up with measures to help women balance work and family life.

副主席接着表示，政府将继续扩大对家庭和孕妇的支持，并制定措施帮助妇女平衡工作和家庭生活。

"We will also strengthen efforts to improve the quality of life for senior citizens and create a society where they can age healthily and happily," he added. (Yonhap)

他补充说：“我们还将加大力度改善老年人的生活质量，创建一个健康快乐的老年社会。” （韩联社）