Working longer despite poorer health? Inequalities in healthy and unhealthy working life expectancies in South Korea

Healthy working life expectancy estimates often exclude individuals working beyond retirement age, especially in countries with large informal economies. In South Korea, where old-age employment is highly prevalent, we need to identify who works past retirement, for how long, and in what state of health. Using the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (2006–22) and discrete-time multistate models, we estimate healthy and unhealthy working life expectancy at age 50 by gender, education, and urban/rural residence. On average, men work seven years past retirement age, and 28 per cent of their life expectancy at age 50 is spent working with at least one chronic health condition. These values increase to 10 years and 33 per cent for men in rural areas. Estimates for women are lower than those observed for men, and educational differences are minimal. Our findings highlight how gender and urban/rural residence may contribute to old-age health and employment by shaping opportunities and behaviours throughout the life course.