[The Editors' Verdict]A Society Deepening in the Shadow of Lonely Deaths

Another lonely death has come to light. On the first day of the Chuseok holiday, the 28th of last month, a man in his 40s, a private academy instructor named Mr. A, was found dead. A graduate of a prestigious university, he worked as a math instructor in Gangnam, Seoul. He lived apart from his family and had no interactions with neighbors.

His body was discovered after significant decomposition had occurred. No one sought him out as he passed away alone and his body began to decay. Although there had been reports of a strong foul odor for two months, those nearby did not take it seriously. He bid farewell to the world in solitude and was found only after a long time had passed.

How many people end their lives in neglect like Mr. A? As of 2021, the number reached 3,378. Nearly 10 people die from lonely deaths every day. This is the result of an eight-month investigation into the reality of lonely deaths conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, released last December. The government conducted its first five-year cycle survey on lonely deaths.

Until now, the concept of lonely death was ambiguous. Definitions varied, so statistics were inevitably unreliable. However, with the enforcement of the “Act on the Prevention and Management of Lonely Deaths,” the concept has been systematized. The law defines lonely death as follows: a person living in social isolation, cut off from family, relatives, and others, who dies from suicide, illness, or other causes, and whose body is discovered after a certain period of time has passed.

Over the past five years, lonely deaths have steadily increased each year. By age group, those in their 50s and 60s are the most affected. By gender, male lonely deaths outnumber female ones by more than four times. Those unfamiliar with health management and household chores, and those whose life satisfaction sharply declines due to unemployment or divorce, are more exposed to the risk of lonely death.

Members of the Gilbeot Korean Medicine Doctors Association held a press conference on October 10, 2021, in front of the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to announce a joint action by the health and medical sectors to address the issue of youth solitary deaths on World Mental Health Day, urging the government to take responsibility for youth solitary deaths. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Is a disconnected life and social isolation something only special people experience? The concept of family is also changing in line with societal shifts. The traditional family safety net, tightly connected through parents, siblings, and children, is a thing of the past. In an era where not interfering in others’ lives is considered polite, parents, siblings, and children are no exception to this trend.

Fragmented lives are a double-edged sword. Individual freedom may have expanded compared to the past, but social safety nets inevitably become looser. These changes also affect human life and death.

Everyone ages and eventually faces death. Can anyone be confident that a loved one will be by their side at the end of life? Most would hope to part from the world this way, but whether it will happen as desired is uncertain. Perhaps more people than expected are already exposed to the risk of lonely death. Lonely death is not just an individual problem but a challenge society must address together.

By 2025, one in five citizens is expected to be aged 65 or older, entering a “super-aged society.” South Korea is aging faster than anticipated. It is time to ask fundamental questions about the world we envision. It would be unacceptable for society to neglect someone who was once our neighbor, allowing them to end their life in loneliness. We must not forget that while we treat it as a problem unrelated to us, the shadow of lonely death is approaching us.

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