South Korea tries $500 allowance to help reclusive kids get out

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
13 Apr 2023 09:55
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This program is for those who are extremely socially isolated and are between the ages of nine and 24.

People attend a rally in central Seoul on March 10. (Reuters)

As part of a new policy adopted by its Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, South Korea will provide reclusive youngsters with a monthly living allowance of 650,000 won ($490) in an effort to lure them out of their houses. The program also provides support for health, employment, and education.

A monthly grant for living expenses for individuals between the ages of nine and 24 who are experiencing significant social disengagement is a part of the program unveiled this week, which builds on measures introduced in November. Teenagers are also given a budget for cultural experiences.

According to the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, 350,000 South Koreans between the ages of 19 and 39, or about 3% of that age group, are thought to be lonely or alone.

A government document explaining the measures states that 40% of secluded youngsters started living reclusively as teens, and that the majority come from impoverished backgrounds.

The report covers case studies of young people who used seclusion as a coping mechanism for difficulties in their familial relationships. One young person talks about how domestic abuse contributed to their sadness. "When I was 15 years old, domestic violence made me depressed so much that I began to live in seclusion. A lethargic person who sleeps most of the time or has no choice but to eat when hungry and go back to sleep."

The government stated that the new measures are intended to increase government assistance "to help reclusive youth recover their daily lives and reintegrate into society."

Other forms of assistance include aiding with school and gym materials, as well as correcting the afflicted people's physical appearance, including any scars "that adolescents may feel ashamed of," according to the government statement.

In addition to having a comparatively high youth unemployment rate of 7.2%, South Korea is attempting to address a fast-dropping birth rate that further jeopardizes productivity.

With women having an average of 0.78 children this year, South Korea became the only nation in the world with a fertility rate below one. Women are choosing not to have children for a variety of financial reasons, including the high expense of having children, the slowing economy, the lack of work opportunities, and the rising cost of housing.