Development of age-friendly city indicators in South Korea: Focused on measurable indicators of physical environment

The purpose of this study is to analyze the age-friendliness status of 16 Korean cities and provinces using age-friendly indicators selected from our previous studies. In total, 52 indicators were used to focus on measurable indicators of physical environment in Korea’s present circumstances. The data employed to verify the age-friendly index were collated from regional statistics and studies by major Korean institutions. In order to compare the age-friendly index level, which consists of four primary areas, 10 sub-areas, and the 52 indicators, the indices of the 10 sub-areas were expressed as a spidergram. Despite limitations in the ability to ascertain details of present conditions and causes in each city and province due to the large scale of the survey, this study contributes to understanding the situation in 16 Korean cities and provinces based on age-friendly indicators and to providing a basic framework for periodic comparison. A more accurate and meaningful study would be possible if an analysis in relation to the size and characteristics of small- or medium-sized cities was included. Furthermore, the indicators selected from this study can be applied to other countries after revisions are made to reflect the individual circumstance in each country.