New Era Senior Citizens Association Gyeongnam General Assembly to Pioneer New "Self-Support and Service" Senior Welfare Model for the 12 Million Elderly Era

The New Era Senior Citizens Association Gyeongsangnam-do General Assembly is taking the lead in developing a new senior welfare model tailored to the era of super-aging, where seniors themselves actively practice "self-support and service."

On August 20, the Gyeongnam General Assembly announced the start of this initiative by holding a meeting at the second-floor conference room of the Changwon Naeseo Wholesale Market Nonghyup, attended by Gyeongnam General Assembly President Jae-wan Cho (Head Monk of Dansoksa), Senior Vice President Hye-sil Kim, Secretary General Chul-woo Koo, and branch leaders from 18 cities and counties.

The New Era Senior Citizens Association Gyeongnam General Assembly Leaders and Branch Presidents Meeting.
Photo by So Eun Joo

On November 3 at 2:00 p.m., an official launch ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Changwon Munseong University Convention Hall, where the association will formally declare its founding both internally and externally.

This meeting featured in-depth discussions on major project plans and concrete operational strategies for the new senior welfare model—shifting from the conventional passive approach of welfare receipt to the active practice of "self-support and service" by seniors themselves—in preparation for the upcoming era of 12 million seniors.

The New Era Senior Citizens Association has set its core goal to establish a database (DB) that combines the knowledge, experience, and various resources of the retired senior generation into one integrated system.

Through this, the association aims to repurpose the skilled labor and experience of the "60s and 70s generation," who drove Korea's industrialization and modernization, as national economic assets, and to actively utilize the "8090 generation," the foundation of the nation, as a repository of knowledge resources.

Furthermore, the association is at the forefront of addressing socially neglected issues such as poverty, declining health, isolation, and disability among seniors, and it is promoting the "Living Together Movement," which focuses on mutual care among the elderly.

Key initiatives include: △ Operating a free legal counseling center for senior labor rights protection △ Removing barriers to the creation of senior jobs and tasks △ Publishing the "Senior Newspaper" to serve as an intergenerational communication bridge △ Running the "Senior College," which includes history tours, cultural experiences, and well-aging lectures △ And responding to major national issues, such as low birth rates and reunification.

The 2023 Meeting of the Senior Citizens Association Gyeongnam General Assembly and Branch Heads.
Photo by Sooeun Joo

◆ Jae-wan Cho, General Assembly President: "We will open a new path to return the wisdom of life to local communities"

On this day, Jae-wan Cho, president of the Gyeongnam General Assembly, stated in his address, "Our 60s and 70s, 80s and 90s generations have been the vibrant protagonists of Korea's industrialization and modernization, yet the reality is that, after retirement, there is a dire shortage of spaces for social contribution and communication."

He continued, "Our New Era Senior Citizens Association will not remain a passive entity waiting for welfare benefits but will pave a new path of 'self-support and service' by returning the wisdom and experience gained over long years back to the nation and community."

He added, "The launch ceremony to be held on November 3 at Changwon Munseong University Convention Hall will mark the great first step. Together with the 18 city and county branches throughout Gyeongnam, we will do our utmost to enable seniors to lead the happiest and most fulfilling lives possible."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.