10 people die alone a day...5.6% annualized growth over 5 years

The number of "lonely death" deaths from social isolation has increased for four consecutive years, reaching 3,661, or 10 a day last year.

According to a survey conducted through the Korea Social Security Information Service, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that the number of deaths from loneliness has increased by 5.6% on average over the past five years from 2019.

The share of lonely deaths in total deaths was also 1.04% last year, up slightly from 0.95% a year ago.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare interpreted that the wider recognition of the scope of solitary deaths since June last year than in the past affected the increase in the number of deaths.

By gender, men accounted for 84%, more than five times that of women, followed by 31% in their 60s, 30% in their 50s, and 14% in their 40s, indicating that men in their 50s and 60s are the most vulnerable to lonely deaths.

The government said it expects that the project to prevent loneliness in all local governments nationwide will be carried out in earnest since July, and results will be made little by little from this year.