Goyang-si Begins Survey on the Actual Conditions of Reclusive Loners

Survey on Support Status for Reclusive Hikikomori Living in Goyang City... Ongoing Until the End of This Month

Notice for the 'Hikikomori Status Survey'.

Goyang Special City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Dong-hwan) announced on the 10th that, together with the Goyang Research Institute (Director Kim Hyun-ho), it will conduct a "Hikikomori (Reclusive Youth) Survey" until the 31st of this month.

This survey is the first of its kind targeting Goyang citizens and is conducted to support citizens living reclusively without social relationships and their families.

A hikikomori is defined as a person who, due to social, economic, or cultural reasons, lives for more than three months in a limited space such as their room or home, isolated from the outside world, making normal social activities significantly difficult. Cases where going out is impossible due to pregnancy, childbirth, or physical/mental disabilities, as well as those engaged in academic or occupational activities, are excluded.

The phenomenon of hikikomori in Korea emerged during the 1990s IMF economic crisis, showing characteristics similar to Japan’s hikikomori. Its existence and reality became more concrete from the early 2000s, and recently, it has been increasing due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, economic recession, downturn, and rising unemployment rates. The advancement of IT technology and the convenience of smartphones have also contributed to promoting social isolation among hikikomori.

The city took the lead among local governments by enacting the "Goyang City Hikikomori Support Ordinance" in February 2023, and based on this, the survey is being conducted.

The survey targets Goyang citizens aged 13 or older who live reclusively in Goyang or their families, investigating living conditions and welfare needs. The results will be used as basic data for understanding the status of reclusive citizens and developing related policies.

Those who wish to participate in the survey, whether the hikikomori themselves or their families, can access the QR code on the hikikomori survey promotional poster distributed through the Goyang city website or SNS to take part.

Dr. Moon Jeong-hwa of the Goyang Research Institute, who is in charge of this survey and research, stated, "Through this survey, we plan to comprehensively understand the daily life, health status, background of reclusion, perceptions of reclusion, difficulties faced by families of hikikomori, and the support needed." She added, "We plan to conduct both an online web survey and in-depth one-on-one interviews with professional counselors, and we ask for active participation from hikikomori individuals and their families."

A limited number of 200 reclusive citizens and 100 family members who complete the survey will receive a small mobile gift certificate on a first-come, first-served basis.

In the future, the Goyang Research Institute will analyze the survey results and propose policy directions and tasks to support hikikomori individuals and their families in Goyang. Based on this, the city plans to establish a basic plan and prepare support policies.