South Korea actively responds to 'single-person families'

　　South Korea actively responds to "single family"

　　 reporter Yang Ming in Seoul

　　The number of "single-person households" in South Korea is growing rapidly.

According to the latest data from Statistics Korea, the proportion of "single-person households" in South Korea increased from 29.3% in 2018 to 30.2% in 2019, and reached 31.7% in 2020, more than double the 15.5% in 2000. Nearly 1 in 3 households is a "single-person household".

　　The reason for the surge in "single-person households" is that the age at which Koreans marry is continuing to rise.

In December 2021, Seoul City released a report on population trends. Taking 10 years as a boundary, the average age of first marriage for men in Seoul in 2000 was 29.65 years old. The three values ​​for women are 27.5 years old, 29.82 years old, and 31.60 years old, which are also over 30 years old.

According to the 2020 Population Survey of Statistics Korea, 50.8% of men between the ages of 30 and 40 are single, which is the first time that this figure has exceeded half of the total; while the proportion of women in this age group is 33.6%, which also exceeds the total. one third.

　　For "why choose to live alone", 40% of the people gave the answer is "living alone is more free and convenient".

But in fact this is only one aspect of the problem.

　　"Single-person households" often make it difficult to get help and care.

Statistics Korea will conduct a survey on "social isolation" values ​​in 2021.

Social isolation refers to the proportion of the population who have difficulty getting help when they need help interpersonally, financially, or spiritually.

The result is 34.1%, which is 6.4 percentage points higher than 27.7% in 2019.

More than a third of South Koreans are socially isolated.

The increase in the number of "single-person households" and the intensification of aging are the fundamental reasons for the continuous growth of this value.

　　"Single-person households" can aggravate people's sense of loneliness.

Last year, the international public opinion survey company Ipsos conducted a global survey on the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic. In the "feeling lonely" item, 38% of South Koreans selected it, which is significantly higher than that in developed economies. In Canada and the United States, the proportion is 31%, and in Japan it is 16%.

The high proportion of "single-person households" in South Korea is an important reason.

　　"Single-person households" can also have negative health effects.

The surge in "single-person households" has boosted alcohol consumption in South Korea.

According to a survey by the South Korean government, nearly 90% of South Koreans have moved drinking places to their homes due to the epidemic, and nearly half of them drink alone.

In addition, the proportion of "single-person households" suffering from depression is also significantly higher than that of other groups. At present, 15 out of every 100 people in South Korea have experienced depression.

　　In response to the phenomenon of "single-person households", local governments in South Korea have taken active actions.

The city of Seoul recently announced the "Comprehensive Measures for the Peace of Mind for Single-person Families" for the next five years, and invested 5.58 trillion won to help "single-person households" solve their problems from four aspects: medical care, safety, mental health, and housing. problem.

　　In terms of medical care, the city of Seoul continues to promote the "health care" service.

After citizens apply by phone, professional escorts will provide escort services to and from the hospital, and can help with registration, payment, hospitalization and discharge.

In response to the crime-prone phenomenon in some residential areas, the number of community security officers will be increased, surveillance cameras will be added, and a "security gate guard" service will be launched.

The government has also piloted the introduction of artificial intelligence telephone greeting services, so that service recipients can receive regular inquiries about their living conditions and physical health.

In terms of housing, by 2026, the city of Seoul will provide more than 70,000 small custom-made houses to "single-person families", and will start trial operation of rental contract assistance services this year.

　　The local government of South Korea has also adopted preferential measures to attract "single-person households" in order to stimulate the local economy.

Seongnam City, Gyeonggi-do plans to start from April this year, providing monthly support for activity expenses to "single family" clubs over the age of 19, and to form "single family" communities.

Busan City plans to build a female-friendly "single-family" safe comprehensive town on Daejeon Street, where studio apartments are dense, and the leasing targets are single-person young families.

There are also "shared rental" houses transformed from old houses in many places in South Korea. While reducing the burden of renting for "single-person families", it will effectively prevent the risks of depression and lonely death that may be caused by "single-person families". .

Yang Ming, our correspondent in Seoul