“We Are Not a Burden, But a Force”

KARP Declares the Reemergence of the ‘Experience Core’

The Korean Association of Retired Persons (NGO KARP) held the second declaration ceremony of the “Experience Core” at 3 p.m on March 24, formally redefining the retired generation as a “generation of experience” that once drove Korea’s growth, and strongly proclaiming the restoration of their role in society.

In the declaration, President Juch Myong-Yong stated, “We are a proud generation that overcame post-war poverty and created paths where none existed,” emphasizing that they refuse to step aside simply because of age.

He also pointed to Korea’s declining population, warning that the disappearance of accumulated expertise is not merely a demographic issue, but a “loss of national assets.”

The association described retirees not as a passive elderly group, but as an “experience corps” and the “Experience Core.” President Juch stressed, “Society must call upon us again, and we must also rise once more,” pledging to devote the remainder of their lives to social contribution and to bridging generations.

The ceremony was marked by passionate chants from participants. Members declared, “If we are seen as a burden, the nation weakens; if we are seen as a force, the nation thrives,” underscoring their role as a driving force of the country.

They further proclaimed that “retirement is not an exit, but a new beginning that returns with greater responsibility,” vowing to move back to the center of society rather than remain on its margins.

This declaration is expected to resonate widely in public discourse, as it calls for a renewed recognition of the retired generation’s value and urges the utilization of “experience” as a vital national asset in an aging society.

The association concluded, “Korea has not yet fully utilized our experience,” signaling that the journey of the Experience Core begins in earnest from this moment.