Society

The Young Lonely Death

 Lonely death refers to death in which nobody knows someone died and the body is found after a certain period of time. This happens to people who live alone and are cut off from family, friends and neighbors. It is the loneliest death ever. Recently, there has been another case of lonely death, which has been on the rise not only among the elderly but also among the young. A basic living security recipient in his 30s who lived alone in Seoul was found dead. According to the police on April 4, officers from the Gwanak Police Station in Seoul were dispatched to the home of Kwon, a man in his 30s, on the afternoon of the 2nd after receiving a report from his family that he could not be contacted for 15 days. Kwon, who was living alone, was reportedly found about a month after he died in the bathroom of his home. Kwon's mobile phone records confirmed by the police last recorded ordering delivery food at the end of February. An autopsy conducted on the 4th confirmed liver lesions as the first oral finding. 
 
 The increase in the number of young people dying alone is due to the increase in single-person households. As the number of single-person households increases, for some people, the psychological stability gained from the family decreases and loneliness increases. Recently, Korea has been changing from an era of thinking and interacting with others to an individualistic society that prioritizes individual existence, value, and success. In a society where eating alone is taken for granted, it is becoming difficult to find someone to talk with face-to-face. The number of lonely deaths among young people who are socially isolated and die after spending time alone is increasing rapidly. A sense of isolation in society has emerged as death. In addition, young people are having a hard time finding jobs. With various policies and large budgets, the government is trying to create jobs. However, the unemployment crisis is not improving due to COVID-19. Continued failures cause frustration and shame for young people, which leads to suicide and lonely death. 
 
 Efforts to prevent the increasing number of lonely deaths of young people are also continuing. Suwon plans to carry out a full investigation to prevent lonely death in single-person households. Through initial counseling and surveys, single-person households in welfare blind spots are isolated due to family dissolution and community disconnection, and crisis households in blind spots are found to support customized welfare services and strengthen social safety nets to prevent lonely death. Meanwhile, the Gyeongsangnam-do Council will be able to implement support projects such as early detection of lonely death, psychological counseling and treatment, emergency medical support and care, emergency safety notification services, establishment of community safety nets, and housing and jobs to prevent social isolation. 
   
 The government is introducing various service measures to single-person households to prevent them from dying alone, but the number of lonely deaths among young people is increasing day by day. Some point out that the 20s and 30s of unemployed single-person households who need help are not receiving support because related services are concentrated only on certain classes. For the effective operation of these non-face-to-face safety confirmation services, more active preventive policies for lonely death should be implemented. Also, we need to think about whether it is indifference and our society that has driven young people who have failed to find a place in society and have chosen death to die alone.