Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
40% of elderly disabled Koreans live alone: report
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By Jung Min-ho
A new report reveals that nearly 4 in 10 Koreans aged 65 or older with disabilities live alone, facing a risk of social isolation 1.7 times higher than their non-disabled peers.
According to a report released Wednesday by the Korea Disabled People’s Development Institute (KODDI), a state-run research center, 39.4 percent of people with disabilities in that age bracket live alone, compared to 32.5 percent among non-disabled seniors.
The analysis found that 26.3 percent of older adults with disabilities are considered socially isolated — defined as having no one to turn to when feeling depressed or needing help with daily tasks — compared with 15.5 percent of their non-disabled counterparts.
As of 2024, there were 1,455,782 registered disabled people aged 65 or older, according to Ministry of Health and Welfare data. This figure accounts for 14.6 percent of all seniors in Korea.
In addition to facing a higher risk of isolation and related mental health issues, many elderly people with disabilities also struggle financially.
The average monthly household income for elderly disabled people was found to be about 2.11 million won ($1,530), just 72 percent of that of non-disabled seniors.
When asked which welfare policies they would prioritize, 49.9 percent of elderly people with disabilities chose “poverty alleviation support,” followed by “healthcare services” (19.4 percent) and “nursing services” (15.4 percent).
“People with disabilities aged 65 and older possess the dual characteristics of advanced age and disability, making careful and nuanced policy approaches necessary,” KODDI President Lee Kyoung-hae said. “Based on this analysis, we hope that policymakers will expand what’s necessary to address the needs of elderly people with disabilities.”