Latest news with #SeoulWithoutLoneliness
Straits Times
01-08-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Are South Koreans lonely?
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A banner hanging outside Seoul's Gwanak district social welfare centre advertises the "Heart Convenience Store's" services. The "Heart Convenience Store" is part of Seoul Metropolitan City's "Seoul Without Loneliness" five-year project to combat the growing problem and isolation and loneliness in the city. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in. South Korea correspondent Wendy Teo, who has lived in South Korea for six years, describes what life in Seoul can be like, and explains why loneliness is a looming epidemic not just for the aged but for young people there as well. Steps are being taken to address the challenge, with local authorities rolling out measures ranging from cafes where anyone can drop by for a steaming hot bowl of ramyeon to 24-hour call centres. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:12 All alone in Seoul 4:59 Intense competition in exams and for jobs 6:41 A district in southern Seoul City Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Tech Reporting suspected advanced cyber attacks will provide a defence framework: Shanmugam Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole: Road will progressively open to motorists from Aug 2 noon World Trump modifies reciprocal tariffs ahead of deadline; rate on Singapore likely to remain at 10% Business Singapore's US tariff rate stays at 10%, but the Republic is not out of the woods yet Singapore 5 women face capital charges after they were allegedly found with nearly 27kg of cocaine in S'pore Business Sumo Salad had valid insurance coverage for work injury claims: MOM Asia Australia to force Google to conduct age checks in world-first rules for search engines Singapore PM Wong to deliver National Day message on Aug 8 11:47 Tackling the problem before depression sets in 15:04 Are mindsets shifting? Read Wendy Teo's article here: Read Li Xueying's articles: Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: Register for Asian Insider newsletter: Host: Li Xueying ( xueying@ ) Edited by: Fa'izah Sani Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider on Fridays here: Channel: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: Feedback to: podcast@ --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: ST Podcast website: ST Podcasts YouTube: — Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store:
Korea Herald
19-05-2025
- Health
- Korea Herald
Loneliness hits 62% of solo households in Seoul, city steps up care programs
More than 6 in 10 people living alone in Seoul say they often feel lonely, and over 1 in 8 report having no one to turn to in times of real need, according to a new study released Monday. A survey of 3,000 single-person households by the Seoul Institute, a think tank funded by the city, found that 62.1 percent of respondents experience persistent loneliness. Another 13.6 percent fall into what researchers classify as social isolation: individuals with no support network when they are emotionally distressed, physically unwell or in sudden financial trouble. The problem is especially stark among middle-aged men. In the 40 to 64 age group, 66 percent reported loneliness, and 15.8 percent were socially isolated. Marital status was also a major factor. Those who were married but living alone were the most likely to feel lonely, at 68.6 percent, followed by the widowed (66.8 percent), divorced or separated (63.8 percent) and never-married (59.6 percent). These findings were based on the UCLA Loneliness Scale. This is a common psychological tool that identifies loneliness through 20 self-assessment items, with a total score ranging from 20 to 80. For this study, a score above 43 was categorized as lonely. National figures reinforce the trend. South Korea's official 2024 Social Indicators report, published by Statistics Korea in March, found that 21.1 percent of the population feels lonely, up from 18.5 percent a year earlier. The share of people who say 'nobody really knows me' also rose to 16.2 percent. The stakes are serious. South Korea recorded 3,662 cases of 'lonely deaths' in 2023, or people who died alone without family or support. Men accounted for 84 percent of those cases, with more than half in their 50s or 60s, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. In response, Seoul launched a five-year, 451.3 billion won ($322 million) plan in October called 'Seoul Without Loneliness.' It includes emotional support hotlines, early detection systems and in-person care services. One key service, the 'Goodbye Loneliness 120' phone line, received more than 3,000 calls between April 1 and May 8. By dialing 120 and selecting option 5, residents can speak with trained counselors 24 hours a day for emotional support or referrals to additional services. Most callers were middle-aged adults (59 percent), followed by young people (32 percent) and seniors (8 percent). The city is also testing out 'Seoul Maeum Convenience Stores,' which are community spaces in four districts where any resident can drop in for a free bowl of ramen and talk to trained staff or volunteers. Since March, more than 4,400 people have visited. Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited one Friday in Dongdaemun and said the program is still in its early stages but promised to expand it so 'anyone struggling emotionally has a place to go.'
