Lonely, reclusive youth in South Korea will be offered a monthly allowance of 650,000 won (about CA$665) to leave the house.
The new measure enacted by South Korea’s Ministry of Gender Equality and Family aims to help underprivileged young people, aged nine to 24, experiencing intense social withdrawal. The program will also offer capital for education, career coaching, health and lifestyle services and activities.
The measure was approved by the South Korean government on Tuesday. It aims to help citizens experiencing the condition “hikikomori,” a Japanese word loosely translated as “to pull back.” According to Kyushu University, the increasing number of those afflicted with hikikomori will withdraw from society to constantly stay at home — usually in a single room — and avoid social activities such as school and work. The COVID-19 pandemic is believed to have worsened hikikomori, which is an international issue not exclusive to South Korea and Japan.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said in Korean the measure is “strengthening its support to enable reclusive youth to recover their daily lives and reintegrate into society,” as per a translation by Bloomberg.
Nearly 350,000 South Koreans between the ages of 19 and 39, about three per cent of the population, are considered lonely or isolated, as per reports from the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. Most secluded South Koreans come from underprivileged families.
The measure highlighted a select few case studies of young South Koreans who chose social isolation in times of personal difficulty or family strife. One young national said domestic violence in their home triggered depression and caused them to opt for seclusion. Another said they developed hikikomori when their family went bankrupt.
The new allowance can also be used to cover living expenses, cultural experiences, school or gym supplies and even cosmetic procedures for scars or other blemishes “that adolescents may feel ashamed of.”
Ultimately, the new government measure is an attempt by South Korea to bolster its declining birthrate. Surpassed only by Hong Kong, South Korea has the largest share of population over the age of 65, as reported by Bloomberg.
The country also has the lowest fertility rate in the world. South Korea is the only nation to have a fertility rate below 1, falling to 0.78 children per woman in the country in 2023. The slowing economy and the increasing cost of living in South Korea are believed to be contributing factors to this decline.
In an attempt to encourage people to have children, South Korea has invested US$200 billion in measures to increase births, including compensated child care support.
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