Article 1 (Purpose) The purpose of this Ordinance is to stipulate basic matters concerning the improvement of the quality of life of single-person households residing in Seoul Metropolitan City and enable Seoul Metropolitan City to comprehensively and systematically implement policies for single-person households, thereby bringing convenience and psychological stability to single-person households and, through the establishment of social networks, achieving a return to community and a social family city.

Article 2 (Basic Philosophy) This Ordinance recognizes single-person households as another family unit in our society and guarantees them the right to lead an active life on their own, thereby fulfilling their responsibilities and obligations as members of society.

Article 3 (Definitions) 1. “Single-person household” refers to a living unit in which one (1) person cooks, sleeps, etc., and carries on a livelihood alone.
2. “Single-person household support policy” refers to a policy that aims to expand the participation of single-person households in all fields including politics, economy, society, and culture, promote their rights and interests, and improve the quality of life of single-person households.
3. “Social family” refers to a community in which people who are not related by blood or marriage gather together and maintain a livelihood by cooking and sleeping together.
4. “Social family city” refers to a city where policies and infrastructure services have been established to improve the quality of life of social families and to form a community through share of activities, etc.
5. “Group living home” refers to a facility where five (5) to ten (10) people who previously lived alone live together, as selected by the Seoul Metropolitan City Mayor (hereinafter referred to as the “Mayor”).
6. “Social dining” refers to an activity in which single-person households gather together to cook and eat together.

Article 4 (Scope of Application) This Ordinance applies to single-person households with addresses in Seoul Metropolitan City (hereinafter referred to as the “City”). However, if the Mayor stipulates in the Enforcement Rule that support is necessary for single-person households, it may be applicable.

Article 5 (Basic Principles) 1. Implementation of a social family city that encourages single-person households to return to the community by strengthening social networks and proposing new family forms
2. Implementation of a social family city that aims to create a sharing society that improves the overall quality of life in society through share of activities
3. Implementation of a social family city that is led by single-person households based on the voluntary participation of citizens
4. Implementation of a social family city that respects the individuality and diversity of life of each single-person household

Article 6 (Duties of the Mayor) (1) When promoting policies for single-person households, the Mayor must actively comply with the responsibilities stipulated in relevant laws and regulations and this Municipal Ordinance.
(2) The Mayor shall endeavor to create a political, economic, social, and cultural environment for promoting single-person household support policies.
(3) Citizens have the right to form a social family, recognize their own responsibilities and roles, and actively participate in and cooperate with single-person household policies.

Article 7 (Relationship with Other Ordinances)

Article 8 (Establishment and Implementation of a Basic Plan, Etc.) (1) The Mayor shall establish and implement a basic plan for support for single-person households in Seoul Metropolitan City (hereinafter referred to as the “basic plan”) every five (5) years.
(2) The basic plan under Paragraph 1 shall include the following.
1. Basic direction and promotion goals of single-person household support policy
2. Fact-finding survey on the environments and changes of single-person households
3. Development of policy measures, promotion tasks, and promotion methods by field
4. Matters concerning the size of the required financial resources, methods of procurement, and distribution
5. Matters concerning institutional improvement
6. Matters concerning the division of roles between relevant administrative agencies and public institutions
7. Other matters deemed necessary to improve the quality of life of single-person households and to implement a social family city
(3) When establishing and implementing the basic plan, the Mayor shall reflect the characteristics of single-person households by age, gender, and region, and sufficiently collect the opinions of single-person households to ensure that they are linked to major policies of the City.
(4) When establishing or changing major plans related to single-person households, such as housing welfare, the Mayor shall ensure that the basic plan for single-person households is reflected to the greatest extent possible.

Article 9 (Formulation and Implementation of Plans, Etc.) (1) The Mayor shall establish and implement an annual implementation plan in accordance with the basic plan established pursuant to Article 8.
(2) When establishing and implementing an implementation plan, the Mayor must ensure that it is linked to the basic plan and major policies of the City.
(3) The Mayor shall report annually to the Seoul Metropolitan City Council the implementation plan established pursuant to Paragraph 1 and the progress made in accordance with the implementation plan of the previous year.

Article 10 (Fact-Finding Survey, etc.) (1) The Mayor may conduct a fact-finding survey every five (5) years to understand the living conditions and policy needs of single-person households and use the results to establish plans.
(2) The fact-finding survey pursuant to Paragraph 1 must include information on the age, gender, housing type, region, living standard, income level, and economic activity participation rate of single-person households. <Amended on Oct. 4, 2023>
(3) The Mayor may entrust the fact-finding survey pursuant to Paragraph 1 to a corporation or specialized institution.

Article 11 (Support Projects) 1. Housing welfare projects pursuant to Article 7 of the Seoul Metropolitan Framework Ordinance on Housing Welfare
2. Projects to support the formation of social relationships and promotion of emotional exchanges in single-person households
3. Support projects for group homes
4. Dietary support projects such as social dining
5. Leisure life support projects through leisure program development
6. Support projects for organizations and institutions related to single-person households
7. Research and investigation projects to improve the quality of life of single-person households
8. Support projects for economic stability and self-reliance of single-person households
9. Crime prevention and living safety support projects for single-person households
10. Support projects for disease and loneliness prevention, care, and health promotion of single-person households
11. Support projects to improve the living environment and convenience of single-person households
12. Projects to improve awareness of single-person households for the implementation of a social family city
13. Projects to create and operate an online/offline platform to support single-person households
14. Other projects deemed necessary to improve the quality of life of single-person households and to create a social family city

Article 12 (Setting Up and Operation of a Support Center) (1) The Mayor may establish and operate a regional support center for single-person households in order to systematically and organically promote single-person household support policies and may support the establishment and operation of single-person household support centers in each autonomous Gu.
(2) The single-person household regional support center shall perform the following functions.
1. Implementation of the city-sponsored single-person household support project
2. Operation of facilities for single-person households and support for activities of related organizations
3. Fact-finding surveys to promote the single-person household support project
4. Development and monitoring of single-person household support programs
5. Support for the establishment and operation of single-person household support centers in each autonomous Gu and sharing of excellent programs
6. Campaigns for the single-person household support project
7. Projects to improve public awareness of single-person households
8. Operation of a counseling program for single-person households
9. Other projects recognized and deemed necessary to support single-person households
(3) In cases where a Mayor establishes and operates a single-person household support organization in a local government, they may support facility costs, operating expenses, etc. within the scope of the budget, and details regarding support shall be determined by Enforcement Rule.

Article 13 (Setting Up and Operation of Facilities) (1) The Mayor may install and operate facilities for single-person households.
(2) The Mayor shall endeavor to ensure that the free participation and activities of single-person households are guaranteed in the operation of the facilities pursuant to Paragraph 1.

Article 14 (Entrustment of Operation) In order to efficiently operate the support center under Article 12, Paragraph 2, and the utilization facilities under Article 13, the Mayor may outsource their management to corporations, organizations, or specialized institutions in accordance with the Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on the Administrative Work to the Private Sector.

Article 15 (Guidance, Inspection, Etc.)

Article 16 (Establishment and Operation of a Committee) (1) In order to deliberate and advise on policies and projects to support single-person households for the implementation of a social family city, a Seoul Metropolitan City Single-person Household Policy Advisory Committee (hereinafter referred to as the “Committee”) may be established.
(2) The Committee shall deliberate and consult on the following matters. <Amended on Dec. 30, 2021>
1. Matters concerning the establishment and evaluation of basic plans and implementation plans
2. Commissioning and operation of single-person household support projects
3. Analysis and evaluation of the progress of single-person household support projects
4. Other matters submitted to the meeting by the Chairperson for the support required by single-person households
(3) The Committee shall consist of up to fifteen (15) members, including one (1) Chairperson.
(4) The members of the Committee shall be appointed or commissioned by the Mayor from among the following persons, and the Chairperson shall be elected from among the commissioned members.
1. Members of the Seoul Metropolitan City Council
2. Directors of the department/headquarters/bureau related to support for single-person households in the City
3. Persons with knowledge and experience in single-person household support projects
4. Other persons deemed necessary by the Mayor
(5) The term of office of the commissioned members shall be two (2) years, and they may be re-commissioned only once. However, the term of office of a supplementary member shall be the remaining term of office of the predecessor.
(6) Unless stipulated otherwise in this Ordinance, the organization and operation of the Committee shall be governed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on the Establishment and Operation of Various Committees.

Article 17 (Administrative and Financial Support for Organizations, Etc.) (1) The Mayor may provide administrative and financial support to organizations, institutions, or companies that carry out single-person household support projects or operate facilities.
(2) The method and procedure for support of expenses pursuant to Article 1 and other necessary matters shall be in accordance with the Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on the Management of Local Subsidies.

Article 18 (Cooperation with Related Organizations and Groups, Etc.) The Mayor must actively cooperate with central administrative agencies (including their affiliated and subordinate organizations), autonomous Gus, related organizations, and other groups to effectively promote single-person household support policies.

Article 19 (Commendations and Awards) (1) The Mayor may award public officials, individuals, and organizations that have made significant contributions by promoting single-person household support policies pursuant to the Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on Commendation.
(2) The Mayor may analyze and evaluate the performance of the single-person household support policy by each autonomous Gu and devise financial support measures for excellent autonomous Gus.

Article 20 (Enforcement Rule)

Addendum <No. 8892, Oct. 4, 2023>
This Ordinance shall enter into force on the date of its promulgation.