[2025 Unaccompanied Death Report⑩] Six Out of Ten Unaccompanied Deceased Pass Away in Medical Institutions

More Than 1,000 Unaccompanied Deaths Occur on the Streets

Six out of ten people who die without family or acquaintances pass away in medical institutions such as hospitals or nursing hospitals, rather than at home. Contrary to the common image of a lonely death occurring in a solitary home, a significant number of unaccompanied deaths actually take place within the healthcare system.

According to an analysis by The Asia Business Daily on December 27, examining the places of death for unaccompanied deceased individuals in all 229 local governments nationwide from 2021 to May this year, 14,164 out of 22,745 cases with confirmed locations-accounting for 62.3%-were found to have occurred in medical institutions.

By metropolitan area, North Gyeongsang Province (73.85%) and North Jeolla Province (72.91%) had the highest rates of deaths in medical institutions. They were followed by Daegu (68.85%), Busan (68.55%), and Incheon (67.71%), indicating that medical institutions serve as the final place for unaccompanied individuals regardless of region.

Experts cite the entry into a super-aged society and the rapid increase in nursing hospitals as the main causes of this phenomenon. Heo Junsu, Professor of Social Welfare at Soongsil University, explained, "As the elderly population grows, more seniors with acute or chronic illnesses are eventually transferred to nursing hospitals. Along with the legal background that has made it easier to establish nursing hospitals, there is also a statistical aspect where deaths in welfare facilities must be reported as occurring in medical institutions due to administrative procedures."

Recently, the number of care institutions has been increasing nationwide. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of care institutions nationwide rose from 98,479 in 2021 to 103,308 last year.

There were also a considerable number of deaths outside medical institutions. Of all unaccompanied deaths, 7,440 people (32.7%) died in residential homes. These cases typically involve individuals who lived alone, unnoticed by neighbors or local authorities, and were discovered only after their deaths-representing a classic form of "isolated death."

Looking at the residential death rates by region, Gwangju recorded the highest at 40.66%, the only region in the country to exceed 40%. It was followed by Ulsan (38.82%), Seoul (35.99%), and South Gyeongsang Province (35.59%). This suggests that the problem of isolation among single-person households is more severe in urban areas.

The number of unaccompanied deaths occurring on the streets, in vehicles, or other non-residential places exceeded 1,000. Sejong had the highest proportion of deaths in public places such as streets, riversides, and parking lots at 14.89%, followed by South Jeolla Province (9.54%), Gwangju (9.34%), and Jeju (9.16%).

It is noteworthy that street death rates were lower in the Seoul metropolitan area and major cities. Gyeonggi Province (3.2%), Seoul (3.46%), and Busan (3.73%) all recorded figures below the national average. This is likely due to the more systematic social safety nets and homeless shelters in large urban areas compared to rural regions, as well as higher population mobility, which increases the likelihood of discovering those who have died in public places.

Additionally, there were cases of deaths occurring in vulnerable housing such as gosiwon (small, single-room accommodations), inns, or commercial facilities, but these accounted for less than 1% and were negligible.