Incheon City Enhances Field Officials' Response Capabilities for 'Zero Lonely Deaths' Initiative

by Park Haesook

Published 15 Apr.2026 15:24(KST)

The Incheon city government has launched an initiative to strengthen the capabilities of field officials as a fundamental solution to the problem of lonely deaths.

On April 15, the city held a training session at Incheon City Hall for officials from city, county, district, and town offices, focusing on enhancing their abilities to prevent and manage loneliness and social isolation.

This training was organized to facilitate the early establishment of the 'Lonely Death Crisis Response System,' which was newly established in February, and to enhance the effectiveness of the 'Artificial Intelligence (AI) Well-Being Care Service,' a city-led project introduced in 2022.

Lecturers included representatives from the Korea Social Security Information Service, who participated in the development of the Lonely Death Crisis Response System, and officials from Haengbok Connect, the implementing agency of the AI Well-Being Care Service. They guided participants on how to use the systems and conducted a Q&A session.

The Lonely Death Crisis Response System analyzes 27 types of crisis information, such as overdue electricity and water bills and disease data, which are closely linked to lonely deaths, to identify high-risk individuals and provide customized support. The AI Well-Being Care Service uses AI-based phone calls to check on individuals' health and any unusual circumstances; if a crisis is detected, field staff are dispatched to prevent lonely deaths.

Incheon City Hall

Previously, in January, Incheon established a new department called the "Loneliness Care Bureau," dedicated to policies related to loneliness, isolation, reclusiveness, and lonely deaths, as part of an organizational restructuring. As of 2024, there are 412,000 single-person households in Incheon, accounting for 32.5% of the city's total 1,267,000 households, and the number is steadily increasing.

Yoo Junho, Director of the Loneliness Care Bureau in Incheon, stated, "The key to preventing lonely deaths lies in the expertise and attentive care of the officials who work closest to our citizens. We will continue to strengthen training and support for field officials."