"COVID-19 and High Inflation" ... Over 10,000 Malnutrition Patients Last Year

Doubled Since 2018... Seniors Aged 60 and Over Account for 60% of Total
Assemblyman Kim Won-i Calls for Detailed Welfare to Address Social Isolation of Vulnerable Groups

On January 30th of this year, during the Lunar New Year holiday, users were lined up in a long queue to have meals at the free meal service center in Tapgol Park, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] As the COVID-19 pandemic has continued for over two years, it has been revealed that more than 10,000 people in South Korea sought medical treatment for malnutrition last year alone. Analysts suggest that social isolation and economic difficulties have put the livelihoods of vulnerable groups at risk.

According to data submitted by the National Health Insurance Service to Kim Won-i, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, a total of 11,115 South Koreans received treatment for malnutrition in 2021.

The number of malnutrition patients had been recorded at 5,000 to 6,000 annually since 2017, but this is the first time it has exceeded 10,000. Compared to 5,426 patients in 2018, before the outbreak of COVID-19, the number has more than doubled.

By age group, 62.4% (6,940 people) of those treated for malnutrition last year were aged 60 or older. In particular, the elderly showed higher proportions: 23.6% (2,622 people) were aged 80 or above, 23.1% (2,573 people) were in their 70s, and 15.7% (1,745 people) were in their 60s.

A significant number of young adults and children/adolescents also visited hospitals due to malnutrition. Young adults in their 20s and 30s accounted for 12.1% (1,350 people), and children and adolescents aged 10 or younger made up 5.2% (578 people).

Experts analyze that the sharp increase in malnutrition patients last year was due to the rise in single-person households such as elderly living alone, and the difficulty vulnerable groups faced in receiving proper welfare services amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Until social distancing measures were fully lifted in April this year, elderly welfare facilities were closed, and elementary schools shifted to online classes. Consequently, free meal centers, food banks, and school meals were suspended, leading to poor nutritional status among vulnerable groups.

The harsh reality of vulnerable groups is clearly reflected in the proportion of medical aid patients among those treated for malnutrition. Medical aid patients are primarily low-income individuals who receive substantial coverage of their medical expenses from the government.

According to the National Health Insurance Service, among the 11,115 malnutrition patients last year, 1,837 were medical aid recipients, accounting for 16.5% of the total. Assuming South Korea’s population is 50 million, the total number of medical aid beneficiaries was 1,516,525 (as of December 2021), about 3% of the total population. This indicates that malnutrition is much more severe among low-income groups compared to the general population.

The problem is that although private free meal centers and welfare centers that had closed due to COVID-19 have recently resumed operations, they are struggling to manage due to soaring prices making it difficult to afford ingredient costs.

Lawmaker Kim emphasized, "The COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, and combined with the economic crisis, the suffering of the impoverished continues to be severe," adding, "We must establish a more detailed welfare system to resolve the social isolation of vulnerable groups."

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