Myths of migration on retirement in Korea: Do the elderly move to less dense areas?

Abstract: Korea's problems relating to an ageing population in an increasingly urbanised setting are closely related to relocation processes in later life. The Korean government anticipates that older Koreans living in a higher density urban area will choose to move to peri-urban and rural areas or return to their place of birth at retirement. This paper will examine two major mobility patterns of elderly location choice: ageing in place and retirement migration using data from the Residential Registration records, 2001–2010. Based on a multiple regression model and time-series analysis this study found that older people living in high density areas do not move to lower density areas. Whilst the most frequent movement to a higher density area was apparent amongst younger people, the oldest age group (over 75 years) showed a much stronger mobility pattern towards higher density areas than other older people. The factor of density difference between origin and destination appears to be a key predictor of the mobility patterns of older people. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]