The share of single-person households in Seongnam has been rising steadily — a trend that city officials warn is driving an increase in lonely deaths.
According to Statistics Korea's population census, the proportion of single-person households in Seongnam climbed from 31.2 percent in 2021 to 32.6 percent in 2022, 33.4 percent in 2023, 34.5 percent in 2024 and 35.1 percent in 2025. Local governments have been trying to encourage residents to venture outside by offering coupons for convenience stores, hair salons and laundromats.
Seongnam city announced Tuesday that it will expand its network of single-person household support centers from two to five starting July 3.
The centers serve as community hubs where residents can access lonely-death prevention programs and social network-building activities close to home. They operate under the umbrella of the Single-Person Household Healing Space in Haedaewon-dong, Junwon-gu, which anchors the city's broader efforts on the issue.
The three new centers will be established at Sanseong General Social Welfare Center, Eunhaeng General Social Welfare Center and Hansol General Social Welfare Center, covering the Sujeong, Junwon and Bundang areas respectively.
The two existing centers are located within Seongnam Wirye General Social Welfare Center and Pangyo General Social Welfare Center.
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