"Na Honja Sanda"... One in Three Households Are Single-Person Households

33% is the highest among all households... Doubled in 20 years
Experts say "Many single-person households are in welfare blind spots"

As of 2021, one out of every three households in South Korea was a single-person household. This represents the highest proportion among all household types.

On the 17th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced the publication of the Social Security Statistics Book "Social Security in Statistics 2022," which compiles national approved statistics, administrative statistics, and various survey results.

The Social Security Statistics Book, published by the Ministry of Health and Welfare since 2013 in accordance with the Social Security Framework Act, is available as an e-book on the Social Security Committee, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Bokjiro websites. It comprehensively covers four categories (14 fields): ▲Family and Life Cycle ▲Work and Income Security ▲Life and Social Services ▲Social Finance.

The Ministry stated, "This Social Security Statistics Book was prepared at the end of 2022 according to statistical operation guidelines, mostly based on 2021 data, with some of the latest data included."

According to the statistics book, the number of single-person households in South Korea increased from 2.25 million in 2000 to 5.23 million in 2015, and to approximately 7.166 million in 2021.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The proportion of single-person households among all households in 2021 was estimated at 33.4%. This is the highest proportion among all household types and is nearly double that of the traditional four-person household. The proportion of single-person households was 15.5% in 2000, meaning it has more than doubled over 20 years.

The next highest proportion was two-person households, accounting for 28.8%. Combined, single-person and two-person households make up more than half of all households.

With the increase in single-person households expanding the welfare blind spots, there are growing calls for more systematic and detailed local-level surveys on the "hidden single-person households." Although they live isolated lives due to employment difficulties and economic poverty, they are often excluded from welfare networks because they are not classified as vulnerable groups.

Meanwhile, according to the statistics book, the total fertility rate in South Korea was 0.81 in 2021, about half of what it was 30 years ago in 1991 (1.71), and it has continued to decline since then.

By region, Sejong had the highest total fertility rate at 1.28, followed by Jeonnam Province at 1.02, exceeding one. The region with the lowest total fertility rate was Seoul, recording 0.63.