38.5 percent of households in Daejeon consisted of just one individual, far exceeding the national average of 34.5 percent. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
DAEJEON, Apr. 3 (Korea Bizwire) – Daejeon, a metropolitan city in South Korea, has the highest proportion of single-person households nationwide, according to the latest census data.
As of 2022, 38.5 percent of households in the region consisted of just one individual, far exceeding the national average of 34.5 percent.
While the image of a single-person household often conjures up young people living alone, the demographic that has seen the sharpest increase is middle-aged men in their 50s.
A 2020 study by the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements revealed that over the decade from 2008 to 2018, the most striking trend was the 358 percent rise in single-person households headed by men in their 50s.
Recognizing this phenomenon, the Daejeon Gender Equality and Family Policy Center, affiliated with the Daejeon Sejong Research Institute, recently conducted a survey on the living conditions and policy needs of men aged 40 to 50 residing alone in Daejeon. The center has published some of the findings in a recent report.
The survey results paint a concerning picture. A significant portion of middle-aged single men reported experiencing frequent feelings of depression and anxiety about their future.
Among those in their 50s, 34.5 percent said they regularly felt depressed, while the figure was 27.9 percent for those in their 40s – implying that nearly one in three middle-aged men living alone grapples with depression.
When asked about the greatest challenges of living alone, these men cited difficulty coping during illness or emergencies, loneliness, struggles with preparing meals, uncertainties about their retirement plans, and the judgmental attitudes of those around them.
Additionally, many expressed pessimism about their future prospects. For those in their 50s, 29.5 percent believed their living standards would worsen, while only 23.5 percent anticipated improvement.
Among those in their 40s, the figures were more balanced, with 23.9 percent expecting better circumstances and 22.4 percent anticipating a decline.
The survey identified housing stability as the most pressing need for middle-aged single men, followed by health promotion, domestic assistance, and economic and employment support.
“Statistics Korea has projected that the proportion of elderly single-person households will gradually exceed that of younger ones,” noted the Daejeon Gender Equality and Family Policy Center.
“Our findings suggest the need to pay greater attention to the relatively neglected segment of middle-aged and older single men in the formulation of policies supporting single-person households.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
