Seoul to Offer "Reward Points" for Isolated Households Attending Welfare Centers

Encouraging Participation in External Activities
Initiative to Alleviate Social Isolation

A new initiative will provide reward points that can be converted into vouchers to isolated and reclusive households when they attend welfare centers and participate in external activities.

On June 11, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it would launch the nation’s first “participatory check-in reward points pilot project.” This program is part of the “Seoul Without Loneliness” policy and will be implemented at 14 welfare centers in the city that were selected through a public contest in April. The city plans to select about 260 individuals from medium- and high-risk isolated households who require welfare check-ins within this month and officially begin the pilot project.

This pilot project is a new attempt to encourage isolated and reclusive households to participate in external activities. It is a voluntary participation-based initiative aimed at alleviating isolation, helping participants feel a sense of accomplishment as they accumulate reward points, and supporting them in continuing external activities.

Participants can accumulate reward points through three activities: “attendance points” for visiting the welfare center, “counseling points” for receiving one-on-one counseling at welfare centers or mental health centers, and “contribution points” for participating in social contribution activities within the welfare center. Participants can earn up to 50,000 won per month for a maximum of six months. The accumulated points are converted each month into Seoul Sarang gift certificates or vouchers and distributed to participants.

Each welfare center will review the results of the pilot project by December 2025 to determine whether to expand the program. The pilot project will be operated at 14 welfare centers across seven districts: Gangbuk-gu (Gusegun Gangbuk, Beonommaeul, Kkumuisup), Gangseo-gu (Gayang 5, Deungchon 9), Gwanak-gu (Seongmin), Nowon-gu (Gongneung, Nowon 1, Hagye), Dongjak-gu (Daebang, Sangdo, Heukseok), Seodaemun-gu (Ewha Womans University), and Yangcheon-gu (Sinwol).

The city will analyze the degree of isolation alleviation by reviewing the number and frequency of participation, as well as the results of the isolation risk checklist before and after participation, to comprehensively assess the effectiveness of the project. In addition, the city will provide support to help isolated households connect with self-help groups and Seoul Connection Prescription programs, thereby fostering social networks.

Hwang Sungwon, head of Seoul’s Loneliness Response Division, said, “We launched this pilot project to encourage isolated households to start even small activities, creating opportunities for them to break free from isolation. We will continue to implement various policy studies and initiatives to help isolated and reclusive households take a step outside and find the courage to engage with others.”