In super aged S Korea a Seoul district wants residents to get first spots in elderly kindergartens

SEOUL – South Korea is running out of space for its ageing population, and many neighbourhoods do not want care centres for older adults built in their apartment complexes.

To address this growing tension, Eunpyeong-gu district in north-western Seoul is suggesting something new: It has formally proposed that residents of newly redeveloped apartment complexes be given priority access to care centres built as part of the redevelopment.

These facilities are typically constructed as public benefit contributions during large-scale private housing projects but often meet with resistance from residents who fear they will negatively affect property values.

The proposal, submitted to the central government, will require revising national laws, which currently prohibit any form of admission preference.

Still, district officials believe that offering residents a tangible benefit can help ease the pushback that has stalled many projects.

South Korea officially became a “super-aged” society in 2024, with people aged over 65 making up more than 20 per cent of the population, according to its Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

In Seoul, that figure is projected to rise to 30 per cent by 2038 and over 37 per cent by 2052, according to Statistics Korea.

As the country’s birth rate hit record lows in recent years, the contrast has sparked a darkly humorous nickname for the rapidly expanding daycare centres for older people – “elderly kindergartens”.

The phrase reflects a stark demographic reality. As kindergartens close for lack of children, more space is being allocated to daytime care centres where older adults receive treatment for age-related conditions such as dementia or stroke.

But building those centres has not been easy.

A high-profile case in Yeouido saw a planned daycare centre for older adults held up for over a year due to protests from residents of the Sibeom Apartment complex, who feared