[Community Discovery] Mapo's Hyodo Babsang program becomes model for senior welfare

"Godoksa," or lonely death, has recently become a nationwide concern in South Korea, challenging the deeply rooted Confucian belief in filial piety.

According to the health ministry's 2023 report, approximately 1.525 million people in Korea are at risk of dying alone. The number of lonely deaths has increased by 8.8 percent over the past five years, reaching 3,378 in 2022.

Mapo-gu, a university neighborhood in northwestern Seoul, has been particularly attentive to this rising social issue and has been actively seeking solutions to prevent such tragic deaths through a free meal program for seniors living alone.

The program, titled "Hyodo Babsang," provides a daily free lunch prepared by nutritionists to 1,000 seniors aged 75 or older who live alone in Mapo-gu. The municipal office has been operating the program since last year, with donations from local businesses and residents.

"Hyodo” means filial piety in Korean, and “Babsang” means a meal. The name reflects the district's commitment to treating seniors with the same respect as our parents, according to the Mapo-gu office.

The program is not just about providing free meals; it helps prevent lonely deaths and saves elderly people in danger, the office said, adding that 16 percent of Mapo's population is elderly.

“The program goes beyond just providing meals for seniors,” said Park Gang-su, the district head of Mapo-gu.

“Last year, district officials visited the home of a participant who hadn't come to eat for several days. They discovered that he was sick and were able to take him to the hospital,” he said.

As lunch hour approached on Tuesday, seniors flocked to the Hyodo Babsang center in Mangwon-dong. Greeted by the staff, the seniors underwent medical checkups, including blood pressure and blood sugar tests, before heading for their meal.

There are a total of 20 feeding centers in Mapo-gu where the elderly can come for lunch six days a week.

Seniors coming to the center also say the program helps them socialize and build companionship.

“There were many times when I didn't eat well on my own, but now that I receive nutritious meals daily, I feel healthier,” said Won Geum-cheon, 87, one of the participants. “Others say they also feel more energetic. To eat together, we groom and meet at this time every day. It's like having a social life again.”

The program has become a model for senior welfare, attracting visits from more than 50 local governments nationwide to study its success, according to the district office. President Yoon Suk Yeol has even highlighted it as a potential new solution for elderly welfare. The Ministry of Health and Welfare is currently reviewing the details.

Given the attention to Mapo's senior welfare program, the district office plans to increase the number of participants to 1,500 in the second half of the year. It also aims to eventually expand the program to serve all seniors in the district, according to the ward office chief.

“More proactive policies are needed for this super-aged society," he added.

The UN defines a “super-aged society” as a country where people aged 65 or older account for 20 percent or more of the population.

South Korea is set to become a super-aged society next year. By 2050, this could rise to nearly 44 percent of the population, according to Statistics Korea.

This article is the sixth installment in a series of feature stories and interviews that delve deeper into the hidden stories of Seoul's 25 districts. -- Ed.