North Korea's government has reportedly established new senior centers, in what appears to be a response to the country’s rising elderly population.

Why It Matters

North Korea has not carried out a census since 2008, and information is tightly controlled by the Kim Jong Un regime. Nevertheless, the country of 26.5 million is believed to be facing a stark demographic outlook.

While many other countries are grappling with an aging workforce and declining birth rates , these challenges are especially acute for North Korea, where roughly 60 percent of the population is believed to live below the poverty line and social safety nets have collapsed.

Newsweek reached out by email to the North Korean Embassy in Beijing for comment.

What To Know

A third senior center reportedly opened sev

See Full Page