Introduction: A Dual Crisis South Korea is currently facing two significant social issues: the lowest fertility rate in the world and the highest suicide rate. These challenges have a common root cause—loneliness. This sense of disconnection, or the gap between the level of social connectedness people desire and what they experience, is worsening year by year. This phenomenon isn’t just affecting South Korea but is also emerging as a global issue.
The Scale of Loneliness in South Korea A staggering 77% of South Koreans report feeling lonely, with 40% experiencing severe loneliness. This level of isolation is not just emotionally harmful—it’s deadly. Research has shown that loneliness increases the risk of early death by 39%, a figure comparable to the dangers of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. For South Korea, the consequences extend beyond individual suffering to societal breakdowns.
Social and Economic Consequences When a majority of the population feels lonely, the social fabric of the nation starts to fray. People shy away from getting married, having children, or forming meaningful relationships. This exacerbates South Korea’s declining birth rate. Additionally, loneliness impacts the economy by decreasing workforce productivity and overburdening the healthcare system. The financial cost of loneliness to South Korean society is estimated at $6.5 billion annually.
Seoul’s Attempts to Fight Loneliness In response, Seoul, South Korea’s capital, has launched initiatives to combat loneliness. The government plans to invest $330 million over the next five years to offer counseling, emergency interventions, and create social spaces like cooking classes and community centers where people can bond over meals. The idea is to provide opportunities for people to reconnect and reduce isolation.
Will It Work? Despite these efforts, there’s skepticism about whether these interventions will be effective. Last year, the government provided isolated youth with a monthly stipend of $500 to help them re-enter society, but the results were underwhelming. The issue is deeper than money or creating spaces to share ramen. Loneliness in South Korea is rooted in societal factors like high living costs, a lack of job security, oppressive work culture, gender roles, and the pressure to meet high expectations. These systemic problems feed into a vicious cycle of isolation.
A Global Epidemic The loneliness epidemic isn’t unique to South Korea. Across the globe, other nations face similar challenges. In the United States, 30% of the population reports feeling lonely. In Italy, that figure is 41%, and in India, it’s 43%. Countries are approaching the problem in various ways. Canada, Ireland, and Australia have launched volunteer programs where citizens engage in conversations with lonely individuals. The Netherlands has integrated loneliness assessments into medical care, and Sweden’s “Say Hello” campaign encourages people to talk to strangers in public spaces to foster a friendlier atmosphere.
Japan’s Strict Measures Japan, another country struggling with widespread loneliness, recorded nearly 40,000 deaths related to loneliness in the first half of 2024 alone. In response, Tokyo enacted a law in April that requires local governments to address loneliness. Japan has even appointed a “Loneliness Minister” to lead these efforts, underlining the seriousness of the crisis.
