How international age is calculated
International age (만 나이), South Korea's legal age, starts at 0 on the day you're born and goes up by one on each birthday.
International age = reference year − birth year (−1 if this year's birthday hasn't come yet)
- Korean year age (연 나이) = reference year − birth year. You get a year older every New Year, regardless of your birthday.
- Korean counting age (세는 나이) = Korean year age + 1. A traditional way of counting in which you're 1 at birth.
- Babies under 1 are shown in months.
- For people born on February 29, age changes on March 1 in non-leap years.
2026 Korean age chart by birth year
Ages as of 2026. International age depends on whether your birthday has passed this year.
| Birth year | Korean year age | International age (before birthday) | International age (after birthday) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 2023 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| 2022 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| 2021 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| 2020 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
| 2019 | 7 | 6 | 7 |
| 2018 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
| 2017 | 9 | 8 | 9 |
| 2016 | 10 | 9 | 10 |
| 2015 | 11 | 10 | 11 |
| 2014 | 12 | 11 | 12 |
| 2013 | 13 | 12 | 13 |
| 2012 | 14 | 13 | 14 |
| 2011 | 15 | 14 | 15 |
| 2010 | 16 | 15 | 16 |
| 2009 | 17 | 16 | 17 |
| 2008 | 18 | 17 | 18 |
| 2007 | 19 | 18 | 19 |
| 2006 | 20 | 19 | 20 |
| 2005 | 21 | 20 | 21 |
| 2004 | 22 | 21 | 22 |
| 2003 | 23 | 22 | 23 |
| 2002 | 24 | 23 | 24 |
| 2001 | 25 | 24 | 25 |
| 2000 | 26 | 25 | 26 |
| 1999 | 27 | 26 | 27 |
| 1998 | 28 | 27 | 28 |
| 1997 | 29 | 28 | 29 |
| 1996 | 30 | 29 | 30 |
| 1995 | 31 | 30 | 31 |
| 1994 | 32 | 31 | 32 |
| 1993 | 33 | 32 | 33 |
| 1992 | 34 | 33 | 34 |
| 1991 | 35 | 34 | 35 |
| 1990 | 36 | 35 | 36 |
| 1989 | 37 | 36 | 37 |
| 1988 | 38 | 37 | 38 |
| 1987 | 39 | 38 | 39 |
| 1986 | 40 | 39 | 40 |
| 1985 | 41 | 40 | 41 |
| 1984 | 42 | 41 | 42 |
| 1983 | 43 | 42 | 43 |
| 1982 | 44 | 43 | 44 |
| 1981 | 45 | 44 | 45 |
| 1980 | 46 | 45 | 46 |
| 1979 | 47 | 46 | 47 |
| 1978 | 48 | 47 | 48 |
| 1977 | 49 | 48 | 49 |
| 1976 | 50 | 49 | 50 |
| 1975 | 51 | 50 | 51 |
| 1974 | 52 | 51 | 52 |
| 1973 | 53 | 52 | 53 |
| 1972 | 54 | 53 | 54 |
| 1971 | 55 | 54 | 55 |
| 1970 | 56 | 55 | 56 |
| 1969 | 57 | 56 | 57 |
| 1968 | 58 | 57 | 58 |
| 1967 | 59 | 58 | 59 |
| 1966 | 60 | 59 | 60 |
| 1965 | 61 | 60 | 61 |
| 1964 | 62 | 61 | 62 |
| 1963 | 63 | 62 | 63 |
| 1962 | 64 | 63 | 64 |
| 1961 | 65 | 64 | 65 |
| 1960 | 66 | 65 | 66 |
| 1959 | 67 | 66 | 67 |
| 1958 | 68 | 67 | 68 |
| 1957 | 69 | 68 | 69 |
| 1956 | 70 | 69 | 70 |
| 1955 | 71 | 70 | 71 |
| 1954 | 72 | 71 | 72 |
| 1953 | 73 | 72 | 73 |
| 1952 | 74 | 73 | 74 |
| 1951 | 75 | 74 | 75 |
| 1950 | 76 | 75 | 76 |
| 1949 | 77 | 76 | 77 |
| 1948 | 78 | 77 | 78 |
| 1947 | 79 | 78 | 79 |
| 1946 | 80 | 79 | 80 |
| 1945 | 81 | 80 | 81 |
| 1944 | 82 | 81 | 82 |
| 1943 | 83 | 82 | 83 |
| 1942 | 84 | 83 | 84 |
| 1941 | 85 | 84 | 85 |
| 1940 | 86 | 85 | 86 |
| 1939 | 87 | 86 | 87 |
| 1938 | 88 | 87 | 88 |
| 1937 | 89 | 88 | 89 |
| 1936 | 90 | 89 | 90 |
Which age is used when?
Since the amended Civil Act and Framework Act on Administrative Affairs took effect on June 28, 2023, ages in laws, contracts and official documents in South Korea are calculated and stated as international age unless a rule says otherwise.
- International age: most cases, including laws, contracts, official documents, hospitals and insurance
- Korean year age: where a law specifically says so, such as military service duty and the Juvenile Protection Act (limits on buying alcohol and tobacco)
- Korean counting age: no legal effect; used only in everyday conversation
Standards and sources
- Civil Act, Article 158 (Calculation and Indication of Age) · National Law Information Center (in Korean)
- Framework Act on Administrative Affairs, Article 7-2 (Calculation and Indication of Age in Administration) · National Law Information Center (in Korean)
Last reviewed October 7, 2026
Frequently asked questions
When did South Korea switch to international age?
On June 28, 2023. Under the amended Civil Act and the Framework Act on Administrative Affairs, age is calculated and stated as international age unless another law specifically says otherwise.
Who can buy alcohol and tobacco in Korea?
The Juvenile Protection Act uses Korean year age, so you can buy them from January 1 of the year you turn 19. In 2026, anyone born in 2007 or earlier can buy them.
How is the age of a baby under 1 shown?
The Civil Act and the Framework Act on Administrative Affairs allow age under 1 to be shown in months. This calculator also shows it in months.
Does my age change on my birthday itself?
Yes. International age goes up by one on the day of your birthday.
Is my date of birth saved?
No. The calculation runs only in your browser, and nothing is sent to a server or stored.