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South Korea’s middle aged men are dying ‘lonely deaths’

South Korea has a problem: thousands of people, many middle aged and isolated, are dying alone each year, often going undiscovered for days or weeks.

This is“lonely deaths,” a widespread phenomenon the government has been trying to combat for years as its population rapidly ages.

Under South Korean law, a “lonely death” is when someone who lives alone, cut off from family or relatives, dies due to suicide or illness, with their body found only after “a certain amount of time” has passed.

The issue has gained national attention over the past decade as the number of lonely deaths increased. Factors behind the trend include the country’s demographic crisis, gaps in social welfare, poverty and social isolation – all of which have become more pronounced since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last year, the country recorded 3,378 such deaths, up from 2,412 in 2017, according to a report released last Wednesday by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

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