1. The scale of Korean homelessness / housing vulnerability
| Category | Number |
|---|---|
| Street homeless | ~2,400 |
| Shelter homeless (self-reliance / temporary protection) | ~11,600 |
| Jjokbang residents | ~6,000 |
| Goshiwon / inns / jjimjilbang / PC rooms | ~230,000 |
| Non-housing (containers, vehicles, etc.) | ~30,000 |
| Total housing-vulnerable estimate | ~270,000 |
(MOHW Homeless Survey 2021; Ministry of Land Housing Survey 2022)
2. Clinical facts
- 30% comorbid mental illness (schizophrenia, depression, bipolar, PTSD)
- 25% alcohol use disorder
- 15% dual diagnosis (mental illness + addiction)
- 60%+ chronic physical illness (diabetes, hypertension, hepatitis, TB)
- 17 fewer years of average life expectancy (US data; Korea estimated similar)
- Suicide rate 8× the general population
- Average age at homelessness entry: 50s; average duration 6.5 years
3. "Does mental illness cause homelessness, or homelessness cause mental illness?"
Long-running debate. Longitudinal studies (Susser 1991, Folsom 2005) answer:
- 60–70% of those entering homelessness already had mental illness / addiction / trauma
- 30–40% develop mental illness after entry (cumulative trauma)
- That is, the causation is bidirectional, with the majority "mental illness → homelessness"
Policy implication: "treating homeless people alone is not enough" — entry prevention (early mental illness / addiction treatment) plus post-entry integrated care is needed.
4. The Finnish "Housing First" revolution
Since 2008, Finland's Y-Foundation led the shift to Housing First:
Principles
- Unconditional housing: no need to control drinking, drugs, or mental illness — provide permanent housing immediately
- Housing + treatment: begin treatment inside the housing
- Recovery vs treatment-first: "recovery is possible" paradigm
- Dispersed housing: distributed in regular neighborhoods, avoiding "homeless slums"
10-year results
- Long-term homelessness down 50% (17,000 in 2008 → 5,500 in 2018)
- Cost: €15,000 saved per homeless person/year (lower ER and police costs offset housing costs)
- Housing retention 80%+ (proving recovery is possible)
Many OECD countries (Canada, US LA, France, parts of Japan) have adopted.
5. Limits of the Korean model
Current system
- Emergency: temporary protection (3–7 days)
- Self-reliance: self-reliance facility (3 months–5 years) — conditions: "no alcohol, follow rules"
- Permanent rental: after "graduating", apply for LH / SH rental housing
Limits
- Drinkers / those with mental illness are excluded from self-reliance facilities → cycling through street / shelters
- Housing → recovery vs recovery → housing ordering problem
- 3–7 days of temporary protection then discharge — back to street
- Complex medical / legal procedures for severe mental illness
6. Ideal 5-stage recovery system
Stage 1: safe housing
- Emergency temporary protection (1 week – 1 month)
- Self-reliance facility or purchase-rental (LH / SH)
- Housing First pilots — some in Seoul since 2018
Stage 2: mental-health / addiction evaluation
- National Center for Mental Health homeless care
- Local mental-health welfare centers
- Alcohol counseling 1899-7124, AA
Stage 3: physical medicine
- Register for Medical Care types 1 / 2
- Integrated screening for TB, hepatitis, diabetes, dental
- Homeless medical facilities, public hospitals
Stage 4: work / income rebuilding
- Apply for National Basic Livelihood (~710,000 KRW/month)
- Self-reliance work / public jobs
- Vocational training (HRD-Net)
- Credit Counseling and Recovery Service (debt restructuring)
Stage 5: social linking
- Reconnect with family / relatives (if possible)
- Peer-support groups (formerly homeless)
- Religious communities, volunteering
- Ongoing case management
7. Korean resources
- Seoul Dasi-Seogi Comprehensive Support Center: integrated homeless support, 02-2271-2710
- Nationwide Homeless Comprehensive Support Centers: by city / province
- 129: Health & Welfare Call Center (emergency housing / welfare)
- 1577-1389: homeless crisis (MOHW)
- 1577-0199: suicide crisis
- 1899-7124: alcohol counseling
- 112: winter emergency (hypothermia, freezing death risk)
- Community centers: basic livelihood / medical-care applications
8. What citizens can do
- Don't look away from street homeless — report to Dasi-Seogi, 129, or 112 (winter)
- Winter (Dec–Feb) freezing-death risk — call 112 immediately
- Refuse prejudice / discriminatory remarks
- Support related organizations, volunteer
- Bust the "homelessness = laziness" myth — 70% have mental illness / trauma background
9. When family is at risk of homelessness
- Even if they refuse, maintain regular contact
- Prevent residence-registration cancellation (re-entry is hard)
- Accompany medical care / basic-livelihood applications
- Involuntary admission (with mental illness) under Mental Health Welfare Act §43-44
- Take care of your own mental health (burden, guilt)
