journal articles
POLICY DEMAND FOR K-CCRC AS A HOUSING MODEL FOR INTEGRATED CARE FOR OLDER ADULTS AMONG BABY BOOMERS IN THE SEOUL METROPOLITAN AREA: IMPLICATIONS FOR RELOCATION AND SETTLEMENT SUPPORT
Myungshig Kim
J Aging Res & Lifestyle 2026;15
South Korea became a "super-aged society" in December 2024, as baby boomers entered the senior population (65+) amid declining birth rates and population aging. In response, the government introduced the Korean-version Continuing Care Retirement Community (K-CCRC) policy in 2020 to encourage baby boomers in metropolitan areas to relocate to non-metropolitan regions, interact with diverse generations, and enjoy a healthy, vibrant retirement. The policy was originally based on a 2011 web-based survey reporting a 66.3% potential rural relocation rate. However, this data is now outdated due to limited geographic scope, exclusion of digitally illiterate older adults, and over a decade of social and economic changes. A new face-to-face interview survey was therefore conducted to assess current relocation intentions, preferred areas, and housing types among metropolitan baby boomers. The results were analyzed using Necessity-Effectiveness Analysis (NEA) and Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) to identify priority areas for relocation promotion and settlement support. Findings show that respondents were predominantly middle class, with high education levels, monthly incomes of 4–5 million KRW, and average household assets of 835 million KRW—suggesting a need to expand housing support beyond low-income groups. Willingness to participate in the K-CCRC reached 80.6% in the current survey. Direct comparison with the 2011 Fig. of 66.3% should be interpreted with caution given substantial differences in geographic scope, target cohort, survey administration mode, and question framing between the two studies (see Table 1). Preferred destinations were within an hour of the Seoul metropolitan area (76.3%) and near medical facilities (35.7%). Desired housing types included low-rise apartments (34.1%), 66–99m² units (33.4%), and mixed ownership-rental complexes (43.8%). Key relocation support needs included financial assistance and regulatory easing to facilitate the sale of existing properties. Settlement support priorities included improved parks, local amenities, safety infrastructure, and access to public services.
CITATION:
Myungshig Kim (2026): Policy demand for K-CCRC as a housing model for integrated care for older adults among baby boomers in the seoul metropolitan area: implications for relocation and settlement support. The Journal of Aging and Lifestyle (JARLife). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jarlif.2026.100080