The proportion of Korea’s working population made up of people older than 49 years old has continued to increase over the past few years, Statistics Korea data showed Monday.

After breaking the 30 percent mark in March 2010, the ratio of senior workers came to 33.6 percent in December 2012 and 35.6 percent in June 2013.

In June, the number of workers aged 50 or older reached some 9.36 million among the total working population of 26.29 million, according to Statistics Korea.

The 50-and-older working population accounted for only 24 percent of the total 10 years ago.

Further, the portion of workers older than 59 years also reached a record high of 13.6 percent in the same month, compared to 9.8 percent 10 years earlier.

Researchers attributed the increase in the proportion of senior workers to the “baby boomer” generation, who were born between 1955 and 1963, and active economic participation of senior housewives.

Some economists say the aging workforce reflects the situation that more low- and middle-income households are going through financial difficulties compared to past years.

In contrast, the proportion of workers aged between 15 and 29 has continued to fall. They now make up only about 15 percent of the total working population, the lowest in 30 years, according to Statistics Korea.

Under-30s accounted for 26.6 percent of workers in 1995, 22.8 percent in 2000, 19.4 percent in 2005 and 16.6 percent in 2010.

By Kim Yon-se (kys@heraldcorp.com)