In the fight against isolationism, Korea will pay those who leave home

Have you ever imagined staying home for five years, without even going to the supermarket? Such was the case for Yoo Seung-gyu, a 30-year-old man who first moved out of his apartment in 2019, after being isolated in Korea for five years. “It was a strange feeling to be at sea, but at the same time a sense of freshness after solitude. It felt surreal, but I was definitely there. Yu declared.

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As impressive as it may be, Yoo is not alone in this. number of young people South Koreans Those who choose to isolate themselves thrive. When faced with a society that does not treat well those who do not conform to its expectations, these people end up isolating themselves completely from the world.

known as hikikomoriDraws attention. This term was first used in Japan during the 1990s to describe Radical isolation It is practiced by some teenagers and young adults.

Korea gives money to young people to leave home

With the world’s lowest fertility rate and low productivity, South Korea is starting to worry a lot hikikomori. In order to get these people out of their homes, the Korean government provides additional monthly funds for the young inmates.

In this way, people between the ages of 9 and 24 from low-income families can earn up to 650,000 won (about R$2,400). The amount is given as a monthly allowance. In addition, they can also order helps For various services such as health, education, legal services, cultural activities and even “appearance and scar correction”.

The government defines these youth as “adolescents who live indoors for an extended period of time, cut off from the outside world and have great difficulty leading a normal life.” Thus, South Korea’s Ministry of Gender Equality and Family states that the purpose of this measure is to “allow young prisoners to regain their daily lives and reintegrate into society.”