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South Korea's Youthful Recluses

June 23 - 30, 2023 (Double Issue)

Newsweek Europe

The government is trying to reach out to isolated young adults. Other Asian nations are wrestling with similar problems

- JOHN FENG

SOUTH KOREA IS TAKING AN EXPERIMENTAL approach to a tough-to-define problem by offering the country's solitary young citizens a regular living allowance in the hope it will encourage their reintegration into society.

So-called "reclusive youths," who the government says rarely leave their homes, could receive a monthly handout of 650,000 won ($490) on top of additional support for personal and professional development, according to a legislative amendment announced in April by the cabinet of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

South Korea, one of the world's most advanced economies, is as wealthy as it's ever been, with longevity and living standards on the rise. Seoul's decision to help a small but vulnerable subset of the population indicates a maturing welfare system, some subject matter experts say.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has extended schooling support, counseling and career training for those aged 9-24 by drawing a direct line between youths living in relative isolation and existing concerns about the country's at-risk adolescents, including statistics of self-harm among teenagers and young adults.

In the 19-39 age group, an estimated 338,000 people, or 3.1 percent, experience social isolation, said an accompanying study by the government-funded Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. Among those categorized as recluses in the 19-29 age bracket, 40 percent said seclusion began in their adolescence, according to a paper by the Korea Youth Counseling and Welfare Institute, also publicly funded.

In one case study cited in the ministry's report, an unnamed 17-year-old's social withdrawal was attributed to domestic violence and depression. The individual slept most days and struggled to leave the house or make eye contact with others. In another, a young student's malaise was said to have been exacerbated by attempts to force them back into the classroom.