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[Herald Economy = Son In-kyu] Seoul\u2019s \u201cNo-Loneliness Seoul\u201d policy received in-depth coverage from the international news channel France 24.<\/p>\nTranslation result. [Herald Economy = Son In-kyu] Seoul\u2019s \u201cNo-Loneliness Seoul\u201d policy received in-depth coverage from the international news channel France 24.<\/p>\n
The city said France 24 emphasized that Seoul treats loneliness not as a private feeling but as a social problem requiring public action, and that the city has developed a comprehensive urban strategy linking counseling, dedicated spaces, and community programs.<\/p>\n
Seoul officials said on the 21st that France 24\u2019s report on the 18th (local time), titled Un ennemi sans visage : S\u00e9oul face \u00e0 l’\u00e9pid\u00e9mie de solitude (A Faceless Enemy: Seoul Confronts the Epidemic of Loneliness), examined the city\u2019s rapid growth in one-person households and its rising social isolation in depth.<\/p>\n
According to the report, roughly half of Seoul\u2019s households are now single-person households, and many residents in those households experience loneliness. The piece noted that more than 40% of men and women aged 25 to 49 say they do not intend to marry, and that increasing individualization and declining marriage rates have pushed loneliness to the forefront as a new urban social challenge.<\/p>\n
France 24 highlighted the city\u2019s flagship initiative, the Seoul Mind Convenience Store (Seoul Mind Convenience Store). These community spaces are open to all residents, who can drop in for a simple meal\u2014instant noodles, for example\u2014and talk with others to rebuild social connections. The city began with four locations in 2025, now operates 19, and plans to reach 25 by year\u2019s end.<\/p>\n
The report included firsthand testimony. A 63-year-old resident living alone told the outlet, \u201cIt\u2019s much better than reading by myself at home. Talking with neighbors helps me feel at ease.\u201d<\/p>\n
France 24 concluded that Seoul\u2019s approach goes beyond delivering basic welfare services: it aims to restore relationships among residents and to rebuild social networks.<\/p>\n
The channel also devoted substantial attention to the city\u2019s 24-hour counseling hotline, Goodbye Loneliness 120 (Goodbye Loneliness 120). Counselors use phone calls and everyday conversation to identify people at risk of isolation early and connect them with necessary welfare and emotional support.<\/p>\n
Seoul\u2019s No-Loneliness initiative has already drawn attention from major international outlets, including The Guardian and the BBC, as well as media in the United States, France, Brazil, and Singapore. Previous reports similarly noted that Seoul frames loneliness as a social and public-policy issue rather than merely an individual emotion, and they pointed to programs such as the Seoul Mind Convenience Stores, the hotline, and an AI-based isolation-prevention system as components of a new urban welfare model.<\/p>\n
Yoon Jong-jang, Seoul\u2019s welfare director, said, \u201cWith major international outlets like The New York Times and France 24 recognizing our policy as a new urban care model, we will continue building a dense social safety net through No-Loneliness Seoul.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Seoul’s ‘No Loneliness’ policy, highlighted by France 24, addresses social isolation through comprehensive urban initiatives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/cdn-union.tenbizt.com\/contents\/crawler-dev\/thumbnail\/2026\/05\/CP-2023-0083\/thumb-e9ef7fe8-9d9a-4d5d-b4ad-4438f1534f5b.jpg","footnotes":""},"categories":[278100],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-261356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social"],"yoast_head":"\n