[Anchor]

As solitary deaths of people dying alone continue to increase each year, the government established a response system this year. The system identifies groups at high risk of solitary death in advance by collecting information such as public utility bill arrears. The first analysis results have newly revealed findings that differ from previously known facts.

Reporter Park Ha-jeong reports.

[Reporter]

Choo Kyung-jin, 58, developed a physical disability due to a traffic accident.

Even daily routines such as sitting up in bed and preparing to go out cannot be done without the help of others.

He says that he sometimes pictures situations where he might suddenly pass away.

[Choo Kyung-jin : (When a fever rises) Since I cannot use my hands, there were times when I couldn't even pull down my blankets and had to wait until my care worker arrived. I thought, 'Could I really die like this...?']

Solitary deaths have increased every year, approaching 4,000 in 2024. In response, the government launched a solitary death crisis response system starting last February.

The system collects 27 types of information, including utility bill or health insurance premium arrears and reasons for emergency room visits, to assess whether individuals are in a state of social isolation and to proactively identify those at high risk of solitary death.

As a result, as of last July, the number of people at high risk of solitary death nationwide was tallied at 43,858.

Some 33,000 people, or 76%, were individuals with disabilities, and 93% of those with disabilities had physical disabilities.

By type of economic activity, the unemployed accounted for about 70%, showing a wide gap compared to the second highest risk group, temporary and daily workers.

This is the first time that the socio-economic characteristics of high-risk groups for solitary death have been disclosed.

Until now, investigations focused mainly on age and gender rather than disability or employment status, leading to the perception that middle-aged and older men in their 50s and 60s are vulnerable to solitary death.

[Seo Mi-hwa / Democratic Party lawmaker (National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee) : Policy issues regarding what kinds of services the government will provide to people in these high-risk groups for solitary death need to be considered. In particular, we need to think about whether to provide customized services for elderly individuals with physical disabilities....]

The Ministry of Health and Welfare is reviewing measures to prevent social isolation even for people already within the existing social welfare net, such as individuals with disabilities.

(Video reporting: Choi Ho-jun, Kim Yong-woo | Video editing: Kim Ho-jin | Design: Lee Ga-jin)