North Gyeongsang Tops Nation in Elderly Dependency Ratio, Yet Welfare Infrastructure Falls Far Short
According to a report by the National Assembly Futures Institute, titled "Diagnosis of Regional Gaps in the Elderly Population and Welfare Infrastructure Response Capacity," North Gyeongsang Province posted an elderly dependency ratio of 56.1 as of 2025, the highest among the nation's 17 cities and provinces. The elderly dependency ratio is an indicator of the number of people aged 65 or older per 100 working-age residents, meaning that in North Gyeongsang, every 100 working-age people must support 56 seniors. South Jeolla Province followed at 55.75 and North Jeolla Province at 55.66, while Daegu stood at 37.7. Lee Chae-jung, an associate research fellow at the institute, explained that compared to special and metropolitan cities, where the ratio ranges from 15 to 38, North Gyeongsang bears nearly twice the burden of an aging population.
The institute classified the nation's 229 cities, counties, and districts into four types—including emergency-response, proactive-investment, and infrastructure-solid—based on factors such as the proportion of seniors aged 75 or older and the supply levels of medical and home-based welfare facilities. There were 70 "emergency-response" areas nationwide, where aging-related demand exceeds the national average but facility supply falls short. In North Gyeongsang, 12 cities and counties, including Goryeong, Yeongcheon, Cheongdo, Bonghwa, and Yeongdeok, fell into this category, as did Daegu's Gunwi County and its Jung and Nam districts.
The institute analyzed that in five mountainous areas, including Bonghwa in North Gyeongsang and Yeongwol in Gangwon Province, home-based welfare facilities are scarce and, given the vast territories and poor transportation conditions, home-care workers spend two to three hours on round trips to visit seniors. "In rural and mountainous areas where private-sector entry is difficult, public nursing and home-based services should be prioritized so that home-visit care and home-visit nursing services can be provided," Lee said.
The institute also proposed adopting a subsidy system that allows welfare service funds to be used according to regional conditions, and utilizing senior centers as hubs linked to care services.
