Republic of Korea

A total of 3,378 people died last year, an average annual increase of 8.8% over the past five years.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 14th the results of the “2022 Lonely Death Survey”, which investigated the status and characteristics of lonely deaths in Korea for about 8 months from last April, from 2017 to 2021.

According to this survey, there were more than four times as many male lone deaths as females each year, and more than 50 percent of them were between the ages of 50 and 60 each year, accounting for the highest percentage.

Moreover, the most frequent location was in the order of house, apartment and studio, and the first discoverer was in the order of brothers, landlords and neighbors.

This fact-finding survey on solitary death is the first five-year survey conducted on the basis of article 10 of the “Law for the prevention and management of solitary death”, which entered into force on April 1 last year.

Last year, a total of 3,378 people died by dying alone, and it’s rising except for 2019. It accounts for about 1% of the total number of deaths each year.

The region with the loneliest deaths in the past five years was 3,185 in Gyeonggi, followed by 2,748 in Seoul and 1,408 in Busan. The region with the lowest incidence was 54 in Sejong.

Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Daejeon, Gangwon, Jeonnam, Gyeongbuk and Jeju had nine regions with average annual growth rates above the national average. Among them, the highest areas were Jeju (38.4%), Daejeon (23.0%), Gangwon (13.2%) and Jeonnam (12.7%).

On the other hand, the regions where the number of lone deaths decreased last year compared to the previous year were Daegu, Gwangju, Ulsan, Chungbuk, Chungnam, Jeonbuk and Gyeongnam. .

The number of lone deaths per 100,000 people per year was higher than the national average in Busan, Incheon, Gwangju and southern Chungcheong province. Among them, three regions, Daejeon, Gyeonggi and Jeonnam, have seen an increase every year.

Among total deaths, the proportion of lone deaths was higher than the national average each year in four regions: Seoul, Busan, Incheon and Gwangju, while two regions, Daejeon and Gyeonggi, saw increases each year.

Therefore, it has been confirmed that the problem of dying alone is increasing in addition to the areas where the pilot project for the prevention and management of lonely death is being promoted, such as Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon and Jeonnam, and it is necessary to rapidly expand this project nationwide.

Meanwhile, the number of loneliness deaths was more than four times higher for men than women each year, and the gap widened to 5.3 times last year.

Over the past five years, the average annual increase in the number of loneliness deaths by gender was 10.0% for males and 5.6% for females.

Among all deaths by gender, including deaths by suicide, the rate of deaths by suicide was 1.3-1.6% for males and 0.3-0.4% for females.

In particular, the age range that accounts for the largest share of lonely deaths was 52.8~60.1% each year, with people aged between 50 and 60 years old.

Regarding the total number of deaths, the proportion of deaths increases with increasing age of the elderly, with the highest proportion being 80 years of age and older, but lone deaths are characterized by the highest proportion of people between 50 and 60 years old.

The places where the loneliest deaths occur each year are houses, apartments, and studios, in that order.

Therefore, it appears urgent to set up a prevention system focusing on multifamily housing clusters to discover groups at risk of dying on their own.

Brothers and sisters, landowners, neighbors and acquaintances were the first to discover (report) the deaths in solitary confinement and were discovered (reported) by other direct blood relatives, courier drivers, relatives, security guards and colleagues.

The proportion of suicide deaths among the lonely deaths was 16.5~19.5%, and the younger the age, the more lonely deaths by suicide.

It was confirmed that Loneliness Prevention policy for young people should be actively linked and promoted with suicide prevention policies such as mental and psychological support.

In addition, in most cities and provinces, people aged 50 to 60 accounted for the largest share, and subsequently, people aged 40 to 70 showed no distinguishing characteristics in the age classification of lone deaths by city and province.

In addition, 26.6% of 50-year-old men and 25.5% of 60-year-old men accounted for 52.1% of deaths by dying alone, confirming the urgent need for lone death prevention services for men middle-aged and elderly between 50 and 60 years old .

Welfare Minister Cho Kyu-hong explained, “This fact-finding survey is significant as a first step for government and local governments to respond responsibly to the new welfare blind spot crisis of dying alone.”

“As the major overseas countries recently announced government strategies and the establishment of an organization in charge of loneliness and dying from loneliness, Korea is fully committed to establishing the ‘1st Master Plan for the Prevention of Loneliness death from loneliness’ within the first quarter of next year in collaboration with the ministries and local governments concerned, I will pray for you,” he said.

Requests: Regional Welfare Division, Welfare Administration Support Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare (044-202-3130)

○ Currently, 9 cities and provinces selected through public participation* are promoting the “Pilot Project for Prevention and Management of Lonely Death**” (August 22 – December 23), but cities and provinces outside the project regions pilot such as Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon and Jeonnam As the problem of dying alone continues to emerge, it has been confirmed that the project needs to be scaled up nationwide as soon as possible.

* Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Ulsan, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Chungbuk, Jeonbuk, Gyeongbuk
** A project to select and support services such as ① confirmation of safety, ② life support, ③ mental and psychological support, and ④ follow-up management after finding a person at risk of dying alone in the region

Current status of lone deaths by gender and age over the past 5 years

○ (Gender) The number of deaths from loneliness is more than four times higher for men than women each year, and the gap widened to 5.3 times in 2021.

– Over the past 5 years, the average annual increase rate of deaths from loneliness by gender by gender is 10.0% for men and 5.6% for women. At 0.4%, it was confirmed that the men were more vulnerable to death alone than women across indicators.

< 최근 5년간 성별 고독사 발생 현황(미상 제외) > : Please refer to the attachment body of the picture

○ (By age) The age group accounting for the largest share of lonely deaths is 50-60 years old, which has been confirmed to be 52.8~60.1% every year.

– Regarding the total number of deaths, the higher the age group, the higher the proportion of deaths, with the highest proportion being 80 and older, but lone deaths accounted for the highest proportion between 50 and 60 years old.

– Of all deaths from loneliness, the percentage of people aged 20 to 30 is approximately 6.3-8.4%.

< 고독사 중 연령별 비중 > (unit: %)

Places of lonely deaths in the last 5 years, etc.

○ The places where the loneliest deaths occur each year are houses*, apartments** and studio flats in that order.

*Home: Single Family Home, Multi-Family, Townhouse, Villa / **Apartment: Rental, General, Residential/Commercial

– As lone deaths occurring in homes account for more than half (50.3~65.0%) of each year, it has been confirmed that it is urgent to set up a prevention system focusing on densely populated multi-housing areas in order to discover groups at risk of lonely deaths.

< 고독사 주요 발생 장소 > (Units: people, %)