South Koreans become a year or two younger as country changes system for counting ages

All South Koreans have instantly become a year or two younger, as the country ditched its traditional – and increasingly unpopular – system for counting someone’s age and replaced it with the internationally accepted method. Under the previous system, the country’s citizens are deemed to be a year old when they are born, and a year is added every 1 January. The unusual custom meant that a baby born on New Year’s Eve would become two years old as soon as the clock strikes midnight.

tips

ditch：沟渠；vt. 丢弃

deem：认为；相信