SEOUL, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- The average life expectancy of South Koreans will be 78.2 years in 2005-2010, up 8.4 years from 1985-1990, the National Statistics Office said Monday.
Citing a United Nations report, the statistics office said South Korea recorded the eighth highest increase among 101 nations surveyed, The Korea Times reported Monday.
The countries showing greater increases were Bangladesh with 11.8 years, Egypt with 10.2, Nicaragua with 9.0, Vietnam with 8.8, El Salvador with 8.7, and Indonesia and Morocco each with 8.6.
"The report indicates the country is moving fast toward an aging society," an official from the statistics office said.
Japan's life expectancy will be 82.8 years in 2005-2010, the world's highest. It grew 5.5 years over the past two decades.
Life expectancy in China and the United States was 72.6 years and 77.9 years, respectively, while the figure was 77.8 for Denmark, 73.0 in Bulgaria, 79.3 in Germany and 78.7 in Greece.
