South Koreans in their mid 50s to mid 60s left their long-term jobs at an average age of 49, with about half of them taking another job.

According to data from Statistics Korea on Tuesday, the 55 to 64 age group was on average 49-point-three years old when they left their longest employment. That is point-one year earlier compared to 2020.

Some 33 percent cited closure or suspension of operations, while 12-point-two percent were advised to voluntarily resign, retire or were laid off.

Of those who left work, only 52 percent took up another post. Among all people aged 55 to 79, 68-point-one percent expressed their desire to keep working until an average age of 73 years old.

While about 48 percent of seniors received a monthly average of 640-thousand won in state pension, 22 percent wanted payments of between one-point-five and two million won.