Eunpyeong-gu, "Single-person households exceed 40%"... Strengthening care policies by sector

Implementation Plan for Supporting Single-Person Households Established
Promoting 110 Detailed Projects Worth 11.9 Billion KRW

Seoul Eunpyeong-gu (District Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) announced on the 12th that it has established the ‘2024 Single-Person Household Support Implementation Plan’ and will strengthen care policies by sector for single-person households in need of assistance. The number of single-person households in Eunpyeong-gu increased by 13.7% over the past five years, reaching approximately 87,000 households as of the end of last year, accounting for 40.6% of all households and becoming the representative household type.

This implementation plan is based on the four-year comprehensive plan established last year and strengthens customized support to respond to the diverse policy demands of single-person households. It is divided into the district’s ‘sector-specific care projects,’ the dong (neighborhood)’s ‘local specialized projects,’ and the private sector’s ‘linked cooperation projects,’ encompassing 13 tasks and 110 detailed projects worth 11.9 billion KRW.

Through sector-specific care projects, the district aims to resolve inconveniences and anxieties in daily life while supporting convenience, psychological stability, and social networks. The plan covers five major areas?infrastructure, safety, health, relationships and economy, and housing?with 10 tasks and 43 detailed projects totaling approximately 11.6 billion KRW.

To create a safe environment against crime, projects such as ▲ Eunbit SOL Safety Home Set ▲ Safe Village Security Guard ▲ Safe Return Scout will be implemented. For housing stability support, projects like ▲ Secure Monthly Rent Contract Assistance Service ▲ Sweet Home will be promoted.

Cooking classes and communication programs for healthy eating habits and emotional stability will be operated separately for different participants and content, including ▲ Youth Eunsol e-um Social Dining ▲ Middle-aged and Older Eunbit SOL Dining.

In particular, the Eunpyeong-type single-person household specialized policy ‘Eunbit SOL’ will be further solidified. The support targets for ‘Eunbit SOL Bap’ (healthy food purchase expenses), ‘Eunbit SOL Care’ (hospitalization and caregiving expenses), and ‘Eunbit SOL Life’ (moving-in living supplies support) projects have been expanded.

The newly launched project this year, ‘Eunbit SOL Mate,’ contributes to preventing self-neglect and isolation by encouraging voluntary policy participation through operating a two-way communication safety network and providing various experiential opportunities. The Single-Person Household Support Center and Eunsoline Ajit provide shared spaces along with professional counseling, education and cultural programs, and support for forming social networks.

Additionally, through local specialized projects by dong, the district identifies and supports single-person households lacking care support systems and strives to eliminate blind spots. Two tasks and 47 detailed projects will be carried out, focusing on life-oriented projects considering living conditions and regional characteristics, as well as projects to prevent solitary deaths.

Social safety nets will be strengthened through linked projects in the private sector in collaboration with related local institutions. Twelve institutions, including comprehensive social welfare centers and senior welfare centers, will implement 20 detailed projects reflecting the characteristics of each institution, expected to enhance resource utilization efficiency and synergy effects.

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, stated, “Due to changes in family structure and population demographics, continuous efforts are needed to move beyond traditional values and enhance policy responsiveness. We will do our best to listen to residents’ opinions and communicate and cooperate with various local institutions to ensure that policies needed by single-person households can be realized.”