By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
South Koreans’ life expectancy grew 8.4 years over the past two decades, the world’s eighth largest increase, the National Statistical Office (NSO) said Monday.

Citing a United Nations report, the NSO said the average life expectancy of South Koreans will be 78.2 years in 2005-2010. It was 69.8 years in 1985-1990.

Among 101 nations surveyed, South Korea recorded the eighth highest increase. The countries showing greater increases were Bangladeshi 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 NSO official said.

The report is expected to fuel concerns that South Korea may loose economic vitality due to the rapid increase of the old population.

The country’s birth rate stands at 1.22 this year, far behind the world average of 2.6, according to a U.N. population report released in October.

The NSO said Japan’s life expectancy will be 82.8 years in 2005-2010, the world’s longest. It grew 5.5 years over the past two decades.

Among Asian countries, only Japan and Hong Kong, both with 82.2 years, Israel with 80.6 years and Singapore with 79.4 years have longer life expectancy than South Korea. Iraqis were measured at 61.0, four years less than two decades ago. The NSO attributed the fall to wars in Iraq.

The report said North Koreans’ life expectancy was 64.5 years, down from 66.2 years over the cited period.

Life expectancy in China and the United States were 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.

The NSO said South Korea’s life expectancy is on par with that of an average European country. Twenty years ago, life expectancy in the U.S. was 74.6, 4.8 years more than South Korea, but the gap has narrowed fast, the office said.

jj@koreatimes.co.kr