South Korea's human rights watchdog has called on the nation to address poverty and other social problems that affect older adults.

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea(NHRCK) released a statement Wednesday to mark the International Day of Older Persons, noting that the country’s elderly poverty rate stood at 40-point-four percent as of 2020, while the suicide rate per 100-thousand seniors was 42-point-two as of 2021.

Both figures are the highest among OECD member nations.

The commission stressed that the country is becoming a super-aged society and it is necessary to stop viewing older adults as objects of charity, saying the focus should be on guaranteeing their human dignity and basic human rights.

The NHRCK also noted that as society undergoes rapid changes, more older adults are experiencing problems such as alienation, discrimination, social exclusion and poverty.

The commission set forth related goals in its Human Rights Promotion Action Strategy for 2021-2025 and regularly holds a human rights forum with a focus on older adults.