"Peace of Mind for Those Living Alone" Jungwon Oh Promises to Establish Comprehensive Single-Person Household Support Center

"Caring for Loneliness, Isolation, and Anxiety in 'Seoul for All'"
Expansion of Mental Health 119 and Reorganization of the 4050+ Foundation

Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party candidate for Seoul mayor, announced on the 14th that he would establish a 'Comprehensive One-Person Household Support Center' to address the concerns of single-person households.

Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party candidate for Seoul mayor, is holding a press conference with Democratic Party district head candidates at the National Assembly Press Center on the 13th. On this day, candidate Jung announced a pledge to reduce property taxes for single-homeowners with no income. 2026.5.13 Photo by Hyunmin Kim

On this day, candidate Jung stated, "I will completely change Seoul's welfare paradigm to create an inclusive Seoul where people can feel safe living alone and have somewhere to turn in difficult times." He pledged to establish a comprehensive center that will centrally manage and integrate the support systems currently dispersed across 25 local districts.

This center will serve as a hub, using artificial intelligence (AI) for proactive detection based on crisis data to prevent social isolation and to connect single-person households to appropriate solutions. By advancing the AI-based administrative service 'Seoulbot,' the center will enhance citizens' access to essential welfare services and provide city officials with an AI welfare administrative system to support their work.

Policies to ensure the safety of single-person households will also be significantly strengthened. The 'Safe Return Home' route program will be completely overhauled, and crime prevention Internet of Things (IoT) services will be expanded to all residents, regardless of gender or age, to ensure home security. For single-person households that have experienced crime, a collaborative support system will be established among the police, local governments, and support agencies, centered on the 'Seoul Stalking Victims One-Stop Support Center,' to provide assistance from the time of the incident through post-crisis management.

A comprehensive psychological counseling system will be developed, offering both remote and in-person services that citizens can access at any time. The 'Mental Health 119' program—which enables immediate intervention by police and mental health professionals 24 hours a day, 365 days a year during a crisis—will be expanded. Additionally, an eight-week cognitive therapy program will be provided after hospital discharge to strengthen post-care, and practical improvements will be made to address budget shortages and staff shortages at the 25 district mental health welfare centers.

To offer customized support by generation, assistance for those in their 40s and 50s will be strengthened. The existing '50+ Foundation' will be expanded into a '4050+ Foundation,' broadening its functions to not only provide job training and employment connections but also offer integrated economic, psychological, and social support. The 'Neighborhood Connection Team' program will also be expanded to reinforce a local community-based care network.

Jung also announced pledges for seniors. A 'Senior Life Campus' will be established as a community hub focused on lifelong learning, health management, and social activities. The successful 'Future Jobs Corporation' model, previously implemented in Seongdong-gu, will be expanded to the entire city, creating 5,000 jobs for seniors.

To ensure that citizens living alone can maintain dignity until the end of life, a 'pre-designated funeral director' system and a 'Seoul Model End-of-Life System'—which links advance registration of funeral and memorial preferences—will also be established.

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