CRI

 [ABSTRACT]

The baby boom generation refers to a cohort born during a specific period marked by a rapid increase in the number of births and fertility rates following a war or severe economic recession. While academic and policy interest has traditionally focused on the first Baby Boomers (born 1955–1963) amid the trend of population aging, our society is now confronted with the imminent mass retirement and transition into old age of the second Baby Boomers (born 1964–1974), a significantly larger demographic group of approximately 9.4 million individuals. Accounting for about 18.5% of the total population, this cohort began reaching the legal retirement age in 2024, and from 2029 onward, an estimated 700,000 to 800,000 individuals are expected to enter the elderly population annually. In 

Chungcheongbuk-do (Chungbuk), where the aging rate is relatively high, approximately 300,000 second Baby Boomers reside, making preemptive and localized policy responses urgently necessary to leverage them as a potential new growth engine for the local community. Accordingly, this study aims to empirically examine perceptions of later life and welfare needs among second Baby Boomers in Chungbuk in order to explore policy directions that support a stable and sustainable transition into old age.Chapter 1 outlines the background and purpose of this study, while Chapter 2 examines the conceptual definition and socio-demographic characteristics of the second Baby Boomers in Korea. Chapter 3 reviews laws and Chungbuk-do ordinances related to later-life support. Chapter 4 analyzes the results of a survey conducted with 375 second Baby Boomers residing in Chungbuk, and Chapter 5 presents policy recommendations for elderly welfare in Chungbuk.

The review of relevant laws and regulations identified a structural “income crevasse” arising from the gap between the statutory retirement age and the pension eligibility age. It also revealed limitations in current policies targeting middle-aged individuals, which are predominantly oriented toward economic aspects such as reemployment and job creation, thereby failing to adequately address the multidimensional and complex needs associated with later-life transitions. Furthermore, issues such as a lack of systematic and comprehensive retirement preparation, fragmentation of policy implementation bodies and delivery systems, and low service accessibility in rural areas due to urban-rural infrastructure disparities were identified. Although Chungbuk has enacted ordinances such as the Ordinance on Support for Middle-Aged Employment, most provisions remain discretionary, indicating weak institutionalization of long-term policy frameworks.

Survey respondents were highly educated, with 69.1% holding a college degree or higher. While anxiety about old age was slightly above the midpoint, the overall level of retirement preparation was moderate (mean score: 2.50), with relatively higher preparedness in economic and health-related areas. Most respondents anticipated supplementing insufficient living expenses through continued mployment, with the average desired working age being 71.8 years. They expressed a preference for government-supported employment, characterized by 4 working days per week, 4 to 6 hours per day, and a monthly income of 1 to 2 million KRW. The perceived entry into old age averaged 69.02 years, and respondents demonstrated a strong preference for Aging in Place (AIP)—remaining in their current homes until at least their 70s. However, dissatisfaction with general living conditions, particularly housing and transportation, was evident, suggesting a need for improvements in settlement and living environments. Respondents also showed a strong preference for public cultural facilities as leisure spaces, and income security emerged as the most pressing policy need, followed by employment support and health services. Based on these findings, this study proposes the following policy directions: implementing a dual-track policy framework that reflects age-specific characteristics within the elderly population, alongside the regularization of surveys; strengthening income security systems to address the income gap; expanding medical-care infrastructure, and improving residential conditions to support AIP; reinforcing the responsibilities of both central and local governments in the provision of care services; developing intergenerational and community-based leisure spaces; establishing a Chungbuk-specific retirement preparation support system grounded in life-course planning; and developing policy measures to address increasing heterogeneity and polarization within the second Baby Boomer cohort.