This study compares the activities of daily living(ADL), instrumental activities of daily living(IADL) and conditions of selected items of long-term care needs of the elderly in Japan and Korea. This study uses the data from the surveys done in Japan and Korea, where the same sets of questions were employed at the same time in 1998. The sample size for the Japanese data turned out to be 1673 and that of Korean data is 568.

   A cross-sectional analysis of the Japanese and Korean frail elderly using the 1998 survey data indicates that the proportions of those who are able to do in ADL and IADL are much greater among the Japanese elderly than the Korean elderly. The analysis also shows that the proportion of the frail elderly who lie down partly or always is much higher among Koreans than Japanese.

   Comparing the long-term care needs of the Japanese and Korean elderly in conjunction with the socioeconomic differences, we may conclude that sociodemographic status of any individual country would significantly affect long-term care needs of the elderly. The long-term health care insurance in Japan was implemented in 2000 but that in Korea was implemented in 2008.

   On the basis of the long term care needs of the elderly, this paper is going to introduce the implementation process of the long term health care insurance of Korea. In addition, this paper indicates how the long term health care insurance has been carried out and what problems have been involved during the implementation process. Finally, this paper suggests some remaining issues and suggestions for the better implementation of the long term health care insurance.