Around 60 percent of South Korean seniors were economically active as of May, data showed, reflecting the state of the country’s rapidly aging population.

The poll by Statistics Korea showed that 60.2 percent of the country's 15.48 million people aged 55 to 79 were economically active, up 0.8 percentage point from the previous year.

The data encompasses both individuals currently employed and those actively in search of job opportunities.

The number of employed people in the age group came to 9.32 million, up 349,000 from a year earlier, with the employment rate moving up 0.8 percentage point over the period to 58.9 percent, it added.

Of all seniors, 68.5 percent replied they wished to continue working, expressing hope to be employed until the average age of 73. (Yonhap)