Due to lack of time and tons of work, people lose their communication skills.
Every year, thousands of South Koreans die alone, and their bodies are discovered days and weeks after death. Over the next five years, Seoul will allocate about $327 million to combat loneliness among citizens.
CNN writes about this.
The problem has become so serious that the authorities have decided to take action – a hotline and an online platform for consultations will be launched for lonely people.
Personal visits to lonely people will be introduced later. Seoul will also organize psychological sessions and green areas, meal plans for pensioners, and introduce a special system for finding isolated Koreans.
The main goal is to encourage people to go outside and interact with others, for example, by playing sports or gardening, or going to book clubs.
The problem of loneliness has increased in the last decade – it is considered a feature of Korean culture.
In 2023, 3,661 residents of South Korea died alone. Moreover, the overwhelming majority of them were men – more than 84%.
Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) called loneliness a global health threat. Its impact is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The problem of loneliness has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The quarantine has suspended people's economic and social activities, so the level of loneliness has increased.
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