South Korea is experiencing a growing number of elder abuse cases as its population rapidly ages, according to a recent report from the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The data, compiled from complaints received by senior abuse hotlines and welfare centers, highlights an alarming trend.

In 2023, reported cases of elder abuse increased by 12 percent compared to the previous year, rising from 19,552 to 21,936. The percentage of confirmed cases also saw an uptick, increasing by 3.2 percent to account for 32 percent of all complaints.

The most common perpetrators were spouses or partners, responsible for 35.8 percent of the cases, followed by sons at 26.3 percent. The rise in abuse by spouses is largely attributed to the growing number of senior households.

Physical abuse (42.7 percent) and emotional abuse (42.6 percent) were the most prevalent forms of mistreatment, often occurring simultaneously.