Views of South Korean officials of enterprises on mandatory retirement age

This qualitative study explored how South Korean officials of small- and medium-sized enterprises view mandatory retirement age. Many contend that it would be difficult to abolish the Korea's mandatory retirement age because of the seniority wage system. However, some argue that healthy, competent workers should be retained and recruited regardless of age. To promote employing older workers, adjusting circumstances by renewing contracts, adopting employment flexibility, and reducing labor union pressure have all been suggested. Additionally, a peak wage system could be promoted as an alternative to the seniority wage system. Considering that the officials participating in this study hail from diverse industries, future researchers should conduct qualitative and quantitative studies on specific sectors for an industry-specific perspective on mandatory retirement age.