- Sharing cases using AI and IoT, as well as strengthening cooperation with local districts -

Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok) announced that it held a district cooperation meeting on the prevention and management of lonely deaths and social isolation on March 3 to share the central government’s policy directions for expansion and discuss key issues.

The increase in single-person households has led to intensified concerns about lonely deaths and social isolation, highlighting the growing need for policies that both prevent and respond to these challenges. In response, Incheon launched the Loneliness Care Bureau in January this year and established a Single-Person Household Support Team, creating a dedicated organizational structure responsible for the entire process—from prevention and identification to service connection and ongoing care.

The meeting was chaired by the head of the City’s Loneliness Care Bureau and attended by department heads from Incheon and its district governments. Participants discussed policy directions and cooperative measures for preventing lonely deaths and social isolation. Attendees shared the current status of related programs, reviewed cooperation matters related to the operation of the Lonely Death Crisis Response System and listened to presentations of best practices and policy suggestions from districts and counties.

In particular, the city government reviewed the operation of the Lonely Death Crisis Response System—introduced and implemented in 2026—and requested active cooperation from local districts to ensure that at-risk or socially isolated individuals are identified and connected with services within the intensive operation period (January 20–March 31).

Given the rising importance of preventing and managing social isolation using information and communication technologies (ICT), such as AI and IoT, the city government also shared successful cases related to its Care Plug service, introduced in 2021, and AI-based wellness check care service introduced in 2022. Examples included the emergency transfer of a suspected stroke patient to a hospital and financial support for surgery expenses for a senior living alone.

Participants agreed that close cooperation between Incheon and its district governments is essential to prevent social issues stemming from social isolation and pledged to further strengthen their collaborative framework.

Yoo Jun-ho, Director of the Incheon’s Loneliness Care Bureau, stated, “As the policy focus expands from preventing lonely deaths to addressing the broader spectrum of social isolation, we will work closely with districts and counties to respond proactively and create a city where people can step out of loneliness and isolation and reconnect with society.”