Last Year, 3,900 Died Alone... 8 Out of 10 Were Men

Amid a rise in single-person households and weakening face-to-face relationships, the number of people who died alone in 2024 was recorded at 3,924. This represents an increase of 263 cases (7.2%) compared to the previous year (3,661). Eight out of ten of those who died alone were men, and people in their 50s and 60s accounted for about 60% of the total.

Employees of a specialized cleaning service are organizing the belongings of a deceased man who died alone in a one-room apartment in Seoul. Photo by Heo Younghan

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On November 27, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced the results of the "2024 Survey on the Status of Solitary Deaths," stating, "The increase in social isolation is expanding the risk of solitary deaths." The ministry added that it plans to use next year's survey to more precisely identify the size and characteristics of at-risk groups and to expand the scope of support programs.

Solitary death refers to cases where individuals who are socially isolated from family, relatives, and others pass away due to suicide or illness. The most common locations were houses (1,920 cases, 48.9%), followed by apartments (774 cases, 19.7%), and one-room apartments or officetels (769 cases, 19.6%). Over the past five years, the proportion of deaths in houses and apartments has decreased, while the proportion in one-room apartments, officetels, inns, motels, and gosiwons has increased.

The person who first discovered and reported the scene was most often a related party such as a landlord or security guard (1,692 cases, 43.1%). This was followed by family members (1,044 cases, 26.6%), neighbors (470 cases, 12.0%), health and welfare service workers (301 cases, 7.7%), and acquaintances (280 cases, 7.1%). Notably, the proportion of health and welfare service workers has risen sharply from 1.7% to 7.7% over the past five years, while the share of family members and acquaintances has decreased.

The share of solitary deaths attributable to suicide was 526 cases (13.4%) last year, down from 516 cases (14.1%) the previous year. By age group, the proportion of suicides was highest among those in their 20s and younger (57.4%), followed by those in their 30s (43.3%) and 40s (25.7%), indicating that the younger the age group, the higher the suicide rate.

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Of the 3,924 deceased, 1,462 people (39.1%) had a history of receiving basic livelihood security benefits within the year prior to death. The increase in solitary deaths is attributed to a combination of factors: the rising proportion of single-person households (from 35.5% in 2023 to 36.1% in 2024), population aging, the weakening of face-to-face relationships due to digitalization, and changes in the labor market structure toward delivery-based work since COVID-19.

By region, Gyeonggi Province had the highest number of cases (894, 22.8%), followed by Seoul (784, 20.0%) and Busan (367, 9.4%). By gender, 3,205 cases (81.7%) were men, more than five times the number of women (605 cases, 15.4%). There were 114 cases (2.9%) where gender was unknown.

By age group, those in their 60s accounted for the largest share (1,271 cases, 32.4%), followed by those in their 50s (1,197 cases, 30.5%). This was followed by those in their 40s (509 cases, 13.0%) and 70s (497 cases, 12.7%). Combining gender and age, men in their 60s made up the largest group (1,089 cases, 27.8%), followed by men in their 50s (1,028 cases, 26.2%). This confirms once again that middle-aged and older men are most vulnerable to solitary death.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to conduct a "Survey on Social Isolation" in 2026 and expand the scope of solitary death prevention and management programs to include those at risk of social isolation. The ministry will provide specialized services for young people, middle-aged adults, and seniors, and from 2026, will operate the "Solitary Death Crisis Response System" to identify those at risk of solitary death or isolation early and offer counseling and referral support.

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