Seoul Develops Mid- to Long-Term Population Policy... Preparing for the Era of "1.5-Person Households"

Reflecting '1.5-Person Households' in Population Policy Implementation Plan

Driven by Rising Housing Costs and Increasing Caregiving Burdens

Housing and Real Estate: Expanding Focus from Ownership to Rental

Daily Administrative Services Shift Toward Individual- and Non-Family-Centered Approaches

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has begun developing various policies in response to the era of the "1.5-person household." A 1.5-person household refers to a lifestyle in which individuals maintain independent lives but selectively utilize the resources of family, acquaintances, or communities depending on the situation. Seoul plans to introduce policies catering to 1.5-person households not only in general administrative services but also in various areas such as housing and welfare.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on May 20, the city has included measures to address the expansion of 1.5-person households in public services as part of the ongoing “2026 Population Policy Implementation Plan.”

The emergence of 1.5-person households is due to an environment where individuals find it difficult to shoulder all responsibilities alone, such as rising housing costs and increasing burdens of caregiving. Examples include people who live with their parents but are financially or practically independent, or those who cohabit with a partner or friend. Even couples living apart on weekdays (commuter couples) can be classified as 1.5-person households. Seoul estimates that 1.5-person households account for 66% of all households in the city.

This year, Seoul identified the transition to an inclusive public service system for small households and the establishment of prevention systems for structural issues such as isolation and disconnection as core tasks for its population policy implementation plan.

First, the city will assess the administrative needs of 1.5-person households and identify potential policy blind spots. In particular, it will pursue tailored administrative responses in specific sectors such as labor and finance, housing and real estate, consumption and distribution, education and culture, caregiving and safety, daily life and companionship, and funerals and memorials.

For example, in the housing and real estate sector, the focus will shift from area and ownership to location and usage type, and from large-scale, owner-occupied housing to small-scale, rental types. This also takes into account lifestyles where individuals maintain independent living spaces but flexibly use shared spaces and community services—living in a private space but sharing common areas with neighbors. Seoul believes that this approach can help alleviate the emotional and economic instability of single-person households, such as the burden of rent, concerns about safety, and loneliness.

The focus of daily administrative services will shift from family- and bloodline-centered approaches to those centered on individuals and non-relatives. A representative initiative is the establishment of a “companion family safe care system” for the emotional support of 1.5-person households. Seoul is preparing services such as the “Neighborhood Pet Care Center” to ease the anxiety of 1.5-person households who have no one to rely on in emergencies, such as when a guardian is hospitalized.

Support related to funerals and memorials will also be adjusted to accommodate small-scale and individual funerals, taking into account the rising administrative costs associated with deaths without next of kin. Seoul plans to build public funeral infrastructure focused on small family funerals and memorials without a traditional funeral hall, as well as to establish a hospice and funeral one-stop care system.

In addition, in the caregiving and safety sector, the city will expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, while also considering support measures for the increasing number of digitally marginalized people. The hospital companion service will be expanded and reorganized into an integrated support system for single-person households, closely connected to daily needs such as health, moving, and emotional support.

Seoul plans to discuss detailed support measures for 1.5-person households intensively within the Population Policy Committee. The city will also institutionalize the participation of not only citizens but also related academic and field experts, to strengthen the on-site policy foundation for population issues. Seoul stated, “We will enhance the efficiency of fiscal investment by conducting investment reviews that proactively reflect these population changes.”

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