Korea is on course to have the highest total dependency ratio among OECD members by 2048, up from the lowest this year, as population aging and persistently low birthrates reshape the country's economy. Calculations based on the OECD’s latest population projections showed Sunday that the ratio will rise from 45.4 this year to 90.2 in 2048, exceeding Greece’s 90.1. It is forecast to reach 117.3 by 2070, roughly 2.6 times its current level. The indicator counts children aged 14 and younger and adults aged 65 and older for every 100 people aged 15 to 64. It reflects the population’s age structure rather than actual financial obligations or employment levels. Almost all of the projected increase stems from the expanding elderly population. The number of people aged 65 and older per 100 working-age people is expected to climb from 31.3 this year to 103.3 in 2070. The corresponding figure for children will stay near 14. Korea’s old-age dependency ratio currently ranks as the 18th-lowest among the OECD’s 38 members. By 2045, it is projected to reach 68.4, overtaking Japan’s 67.6 to