Article 1 (Purpose) The purpose of this Ordinance is to contribute to improving the quality of life of residents by establishing the necessary provisions to prevent social isolation and lonely deaths of households in accordance with the Act on Prevention and Management of Lonely Deaths. <Amended on Sep. 30, 2021>

Article 2 (Definitions) 1. “Lonely deaths” refers to the death of a person who has been living in social isolation, cut off from family, relatives, and other people around them, and who dies from suicide, illness, or other reasons, and whose body is discovered after a certain period of time.
2. “Person at risk of lonely death” refers to a person who is at risk of dying alone due to economic, physical, emotional, or social problems.
3. “Socially isolated household” refers to a household that has been or is in the process of being cut off from family, neighbors, and friends.
4. “Unclaimed deceased” refers to a deceased person who died a lonely death and had no surviving family members or whose surviving family members refused to accept the body, so the autonomous Gu government handles the body.

Article 3 (Duties) (1) The Mayor of Seoul Metropolitan City (hereinafter referred to as the “Mayor”) shall establish necessary policies to promptly identify and actively protect individuals who are, or may be, at risk of lonely deaths and social isolation. <Amended on Mar. 28, 2019 and Jul. 20, 2021>
(2) The Mayor shall establish and implement policies for each stage of understanding the current status of lonely deaths, preemptive prevention of lonely death crises, and post-mortem response.

Article 4 (Establishment of Prevention and Support Plans, Etc.) (1) The Mayor shall establish a prevention and support plan each year that includes the following items to prevent lonely deaths and expand the safety net for socially isolated households. <Amended on Mar. 28, 2019>
1. Basic directions and goals for preventing lonely deaths and expanding the safety net for socially isolated households
2. Matters concerning fact-finding surveys and support of socially isolated households
3. Matters concerning fact-finding surveys on the occurrence of lonely deaths and related issues
4. Matters concerning the creation of a social environment to prevent lonely deaths and social isolation
5. Prevention and support measures for lonely deaths and social isolation by life cycle, including youth, middle-aged, and elderly persons
6. Education and research support for the prevention of lonely deaths and social isolation
7. Participation of the private sector and utilization of private resources
8. Any other matters deemed necessary by the Mayor for prevention and expansion of the safety net for socially isolated households
(2) The Mayor shall report annually to the Seoul Metropolitan Council the prevention plan established in accordance with Paragraph 1 and the progress made in accordance with the prevention plan of the previous year.
[Title Amended on Mar. 28, 2019]

Article 5 (Fact-Finding Survey) (1) The Mayor may conduct a fact-finding survey to prevent lonely deaths in socially isolated households and use the results to formulate a plan.
(2) The Mayor may entrust the fact-finding survey pursuant to Paragraph 1 to a corporation or specialized institution.
(3) When conducting a fact-finding survey pursuant to Paragraph 1, gender, age, disability status/type, and type of residence must be included as analysis units, and other matters necessary for the fact-finding survey, such as implementation methods and procedures, shall be separately determined by the Mayor. <Amended on Dec. 29, 2023>

Article 6 (Support Target) 1. People at risk of lonely deaths due to economic hardship or mental or physical health problems
2. People who are vulnerable in terms of health, economic status, and frequency of social contact among households that do not receive home welfare services
3. People at risk of lonely deaths discovered through community (Dong) centers, social welfare organizations, etc.
4. Any other person the Mayor recognizes as needing support

Article 7 (Prevention and Support Projects) (1) The Mayor may implement the following projects for the beneficiaries of support under Article 6. <Amended on Mar. 28, 2019, Jul. 20, 2021, and Dec. 29, 2023>
1. Early detection project based on results of a fact-finding survey
2. Psychological counseling and psychotherapy
3. Regular well-being checks and emergency medical support
4. Support for setting-up gas/fire detectors and emergency call buttons
5. Home nursing services
6. Conducting a community assembly for the purpose of fostering social relationships
7. Side dish and health drink provision project
8. Health check services using IoT (Internet of Things) technology
9. Government-supported projects and community private welfare resource discovery and linkage services
10. Funeral service support for deceased individuals without known relatives
11. Customized support projects for housing, jobs, etc. to prevent social isolation of youth, middle-aged, and elderly persons
12. Support for encouraging social participation of households that refuse intervention (households that are socially isolated and continuously refuse or avoid service support, etc.)
13. Any other projects deemed necessary by the Mayor to prevent lonely deaths and expand the safety net for socially isolated households
(2) When promoting the projects in each subparagraph of Paragraph 1, the characteristics of citizens, such as gender, age, disability status/type, and type of residence, must be actively considered. <Newly established on Dec. 29, 2023>
(3) The Mayor may support part or all of the costs incurred by an autonomous Gu, institutions, organizations, etc. to carry out the business of Paragraph 1 within the scope of the budget. <Amended on Dec. 29, 2023>
(4) In case of supporting business expenses according to Article 3, the Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on the Management of Local Subsidies shall be followed. <Amended on Dec. 29, 2023>
[Title Amended on Mar. 28, 2019]

Article 8 (Socially Isolated Household Support Center) (1) The Mayor may establish and operate a Socially Isolated Household Support Center (hereinafter referred to as the “Center”) to promote projects related to each subparagraph of Article 7, Paragraph 1.
(2) The Mayor may establish a Center pursuant to Paragraph 1 in the Seoul Welfare Incorporated Foundation.
(3) The Mayor may support the expenses necessary for the establishment and operation of the Center within the scope of the budget.
[This Article Newly Inserted on Dec. 29, 2023]
[Previous Article 8 moved to Article 9 <Dec. 29, 2023>]

Article 9 (Establishment of a Cooperative System) The Mayor shall establish an organic cooperative system with an autonomous Gu, related organizations, and groups to systematically promote projects related to preventing lonely deaths and expanding the safety net for socially isolated households. <Amended on Mar. 28, 2019>
[Moved from Article 8, Previous Article 9 moved to Article 10 <Dec. 29, 2023>]

Article 10 (Enforcement Rule) Matters necessary for the enforcement of this Ordinance shall be determined by regulations.
[Moved from Article 9 <Dec. 29, 2023>]