Correcting the 'Lonely Death' Statistics... Revising Systems Related to Muyeongo Deaths and Solitary Deaths

Ministry of Health and Welfare Conducts Survey with Local Governments
Confusion over Solitary Death Prevention and Funeral Laws
Only Seoul, Busan, etc. Count Solitary Deaths
"Need for Integrated Concept Definition"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] A basic plan related to ‘solitary death,’ which has been poorly managed without proper statistics, will be established. Based on this, policy design for ultra-aged single-person households at risk of solitary death is expected to accelerate.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 5th, the government has been conducting a nationwide survey on the actual conditions of solitary death in cooperation with local governments since April. This survey will continue until the second half of this year, and the government plans to establish and implement the ‘1st Basic Plan for Solitary Death Prevention’ and the ‘Annual Implementation Plan’ as early as September or October.

Currently, in South Korea, solitary death under the ‘Act on Prevention and Management of Solitary Death (hereinafter Solitary Death Prevention Act)’ and unclaimed death under the ‘Act on Funeral Services (hereinafter Funeral Services Act)’ are confused and used interchangeably without proper distinction. This is clearly reflected in the statistical data submitted by the 17 metropolitan cities and provinces to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. According to the data, Seoul, Busan, and Jeju count solitary deaths themselves, while Gwangju, Jeonbuk, Gyeongbuk, and Gyeongnam have no data. Other cities and provinces substitute unclaimed death data instead.

Based on this, the Ministry of Health and Welfare compiled the status of solitary deaths by the 17 metropolitan cities and provinces nationwide in May, estimating the number of solitary death fatalities at 659 in 2019, 845 in 2020, and 953 in 2021. Such simple classification is considered likely to miss solitary death cases. For example, when a person dies isolated and the family refuses to claim the body, the case could be classified as both solitary death and unclaimed death but is only categorized as ‘unclaimed death.’ Compared to the current system, where 110 local governments have enacted ordinances to prevent solitary death among elderly living alone and 105 ordinances cover solitary death prevention for all ages, the actual condition survey is lagging behind.

Last year, over two months in August and September, this publication serialized [2021 Unclaimed Death Report] in seven parts, conducting a full survey of unclaimed death statistics over the past five years in 229 local governments, covering the unclaimed death index, status, actual conditions, and countermeasures.

In response to ongoing criticisms, the Ministry of Health and Welfare is conducting the solitary death actual condition survey. Some argue that a more comprehensive investigation is necessary. Won Si-yeon, a researcher at the Social and Cultural Research Office of the National Assembly Legislative Research Service, explained, "All unclaimed deaths reported in the media are solitary deaths," adding, "Rather than distinguishing between unclaimed death and solitary death, legislative consideration is needed to establish an integrated conceptual definition."

Accordingly, the Ministry of Health and Welfare is conducting the survey without separately distinguishing unclaimed deaths and solitary deaths, including all cases where the deceased was alone at the time of death. This is intended to avoid missing those who have been in blind spots due to the simple legal classification of unclaimed death and solitary death.

A Ministry of Health and Welfare official said, "Strictly speaking, unclaimed death is also included in solitary death," adding, "We will review all solitary death cases that have been neglected due to the focus on unclaimed deaths."