[Youth Isolation 24 Hours] No Control Tower and 213 Local Government Ordinances 'Chaotic'

<5> Limitations of Korea's Three No-Policy Approach
① No.1: No Control Tower for Unification
Local Ordinances Are Inconsistent
Disjointed Coordination Among Ministries
Need to Find Ways to Link Public and Private Sectors

South Korea does not have a government-integrated control tower to address the issue of social isolation. This contrasts with advanced countries that actively tackle isolation problems. Although the government announced related support measures at the end of last year to assist socially isolated and reclusive youth, including support plans from local governments, various policies have been issued in a disorganized manner, and due to a lack of coordination among ministries, there are 'discordances' in policy implementation. Feedback collection for effective policy completion is also inadequate, leaving young people unable to feel the government's support.

164 Local Government Ordinances... Disorganized Regional Policies

An example that clearly shows the absence of a control tower is the number of local government ordinances related to socially isolated and reclusive youth. According to the Local Government Legal Information System, there are 134 ordinances with the keyword 'isolated youth,' and adding 30 ordinances for 'reclusive youth' and 49 for 'hikikomori' totals 213 ordinances. This means that before the government declared intervention in isolation issues last year, local governments independently prepared and implemented measures. Gwangju Metropolitan City was the first in the nation to enact a local ordinance on hikikomori in 2019.

Policies related to socially isolated and reclusive youth have thus been created spontaneously without a command system. Reviewing the ordinances reveals that each local government has different standards and content tailored to their circumstances. The criteria defining youth also vary by local government. Some, like Seoul, define socially isolated and reclusive youth as aged 19 to 34, while Gyeonggi Province sets a broader range of 19 to 39 years.

Definitions of socially isolated and reclusive youth also differ. For example, Dobong-gu in Seoul defines them as "youth who have been in an emotional or physical state of isolation for more than six months or who live in a limited space such as their room or home with almost no interaction with others or society." This specifies the duration of reclusion and physical conditions. In contrast, most define them more broadly as "people who live with limited relationships only with family due to social or psychological factors." Some regions even group support measures for socially isolated and reclusive youth under support for solitary deaths or socially isolated households.

As a result, it is difficult to expect information exchange between local governments or a government-level assessment of the situation. Local governments seeking advice on isolation measures contact Seoul, which is considered a model case, rather than the Ministry of Health and Welfare. A Seoul city official said, "Currently, places preparing projects this year, such as Gyeonggi Province and Incheon Metropolitan City, have sent inquiries asking how Seoul has proceeded and for know-how," adding, "Residents of Gyeonggi Province sometimes contact Seoul because there is no dedicated agency in their area, and Seoul provides guidance on their behalf."

Coordination Needed Among Government Ministries... But Discord from the Start

Not only local governments but also coordination among government ministries is lacking. Until now, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has been handling measures for socially isolated and reclusive youth. As the seriousness of the issue grew, the government announced measures last December involving related ministries such as the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. This was based on the judgment that policy coordination among ministries is essential because the isolation and reclusion of youth occur due to complex reasons.

However, gaps in coordination among ministries have become apparent. A representative case is the Youth Future Center project announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to be established this year in four metropolitan local governments to support socially isolated and reclusive youth. The project aims to provide customized programs such as online self-diagnosis, self-understanding, and family self-help groups, then link these with employment policies from the Ministry of Employment and Labor to help youth reintegrate into society.

However, the employment policies that the Ministry of Health and Welfare intends to link with do not reflect the characteristics of socially isolated and reclusive youth. For example, the Youth Growth Project targets "unemployed youth," linking only with existing programs such as the Youth Challenge Support Project, National Employment Support System, and National Tomorrow Learning Card. Essentially, it adds self-help groups or psychological counseling but mostly follows existing youth employment policies. The only policy considering socially isolated and reclusive youth is the 'onboarding program' supporting their settlement after employment. However, specific implementation plans for this program have not yet been released.

Moreover, many of the Ministry of Employment and Labor's existing policies are mostly short-term jobs rather than work experience projects, which has been repeatedly pointed out as a cause for socially isolated and reclusive youth failing to adapt to the workplace and falling back into isolation. This could have been prevented if the Ministry of Health and Welfare's cause analysis and information sharing with the Ministry of Employment and Labor had been properly conducted.

Coordination Starting with Local Governments... A Control Tower Needed to Manage All Stages of Isolation Policy

Experts agree on the need for a control tower to manage this comprehensively. They emphasize the need for a central agency to unify the disorganized local government projects and manage everything from everyday isolation to reclusion and solitary deaths.

Professor Kim Hyewon of Hoseo University's Department of Youth Culture and Psychological Counseling pointed out that even a nationwide assessment has not been properly conducted. Professor Kim said, "Without a control tower such as institutions or local governments, measures are scattered. It's like having to send off an Olympic but having no candidates at all," adding, "Even the research presented by local governments is not unified. From metropolitan cities to small districts, the criteria for defining isolation and reclusion, age ranges, and methods for recruiting research groups all differ."

Considering this, there was also discussion about how to create synergy with the private sector, which has extensive field experience. Many activists have been addressing this issue through social enterprises or incorporated associations long before the government declared intervention. They have already conducted numerous studies ahead of government surveys and have many cases of face-to-face support for socially isolated and reclusive youth. Actively utilizing their know-how and increasing support focused on nurturing these capabilities would be effective.

Yoo Seung-gyu, CEO of the social enterprise 'Anmuseoun Hoesa' that helps socially isolated and reclusive youth become independent, emphasized, "First, a control tower must be established to oversee whether the budget is being used appropriately, and continuous consideration is needed on what kind of personnel to train. It should not end with just administrative work." He added, "Ultimately, the private consignment method (such as social enterprises) will be maintained, so we must also consider where to effectively allocate subsidies, such as nurturing companies that perform well."

There is also a call for long-term consideration not only of severe isolation or reclusion but also of everyday isolation. This is from the perspective of prevention rather than just managing already worsened vulnerabilities. Already, countries like Japan and the United Kingdom have begun implementing civic education projects to prevent everyday isolation, going beyond focusing only on visible forms of isolation such as hikikomori.

The government explained that the Office for Government Policy Coordination is currently responsible for overall system management and coordination. However, specific policy tools are divided, with the Ministry of Employment and Labor handling jobs and the Ministry of Health and Welfare responsible for mental health. The Office for Government Policy Coordination plans to first assess the situation through pilot projects this year and then respond actively. An official from the office said, "Since the establishment of centers for socially isolated and reclusive youth in four local governments this year is a pilot project, we need to review shortcomings after implementation and decide accordingly," adding, "It is difficult to know all the needs and improvements at this stage."

'Check your level of loneliness and risk of social isolation'

- Loneliness and Social Isolation Scale

https://www.asiae.co.kr/en/list/project/2024050314290051322A

If you want to read the 'Youth Isolation 24 Hours' articles

<1>Isolated and Reclusive Youths Met by Asia Economy
① I am a 28-year-old isolated youth... "A being who cannot fulfill a single role"
② Isolation caused by employment... A day spent without saying a word
③ Harder than parenting is having 'no one to talk to'... That’s how depression came
④ Eating instant rice and ramen for 3 years and playing games all day... Emotional instability worsens eventually

<2>2024 Isolation Awareness Survey
① 6 out of 10 say "I feel lonely"... Suffering from relationship breakdown and deprivation
② "Feeling alone at work"... 1 in 2 office workers say "Isolation feeling worsened"

<3>Youths Observed from the Side
① 'Corona generation' is at risk... Counseling calls surged this year
② Traces left at the end of isolation... "I want to see mom and dad, I'm sorry"

<4>Reasons for Isolation and Social Costs
① No job, no friends... Only a smartphone in hand
② Economic loss exceeds 11 trillion won... Neglect could shake the nation

<5>Limitations of Korea's Three No's Policy
① No control tower and 213 local ordinances 'disorganized'
② Solving 540,000 isolated and reclusive youth with 32 people?… Budget, manpower, and research severely lacking
③ Bitter outcome of copying Japan... Youths calling for Korea-specific policies