Measures to Prevent Recurrence of Changwon Mother-Daughter Death Case Must Be Established... Political Circles in Unison

The family background of Baek, a man in his 50s who served time in prison under circumstances that could be called the 'modern-day Jean Valjean' in the Changwon area.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kang Sharon] A case occurred where a mother and daughter were found dead after more than 20 days in a one-room apartment in Masanhwoin-gu, Changwon City, prompting calls for measures to prevent recurrence.

Lee Jaehwan, spokesperson for the People Power Party Gyeongnam Provincial Party, said in a statement on the 4th, "The Changwon mother and daughter case, which came to light ahead of Chuseok, saddened not only the residents of the province but the entire nation," adding, "The police's assumption that the daughter starved to death after the mother's sudden death naturally provokes anger along with the lament, 'Are there people starving to death nowadays?'"

Spokesperson Lee pointed out, "Although six years have passed since the Songpa three mothers case, tragedies like the Seongbuk four mothers and the North Korean defector mother and child show that the social safety net has not been properly established, leading to such tragedies," and added, "This case is evidence that the social safety net in the province is not properly built."

He stated, "As non-face-to-face interactions increase due to COVID-19, social isolation of vulnerable groups inevitably worsens," and urged, "The social safety net system must be immediately reviewed and proactive measures related to this must be taken to prevent such incidents."

Earlier, the Progressive Party Gyeongnam Provincial Party also issued a statement criticizing, "This case is a 'social homicide' caused by holes in the social safety net and shows who suffers from the spread of COVID-19."

The provincial party pointed out, "In a reality where non-face-to-face administration is taken for granted due to the spread of COVID-19, and communication with neighbors decreases, weakening community spirit, if support eligibility is determined solely by economic support criteria such as benefit receipt status and only passive administrative roles are performed within respective scopes, tragic deaths like this mother and daughter’s death will inevitably be repeated."

Meanwhile, on the 5th, a mother and daughter were found dead after more than 20 days in a one-room apartment in Masanhwoin-gu, Changwon City. Both had a history of mental illness, and although they applied for basic living benefits in 2015, they were not eligible due to their assets exceeding the payment criteria.

The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency announced that the autopsy found no toxins, and it is presumed that the daughter starved to death following the mother’s sudden death rather than an extreme choice due to financial hardship.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.