It's time to overhaul flawed social welfare system
The tragic deaths of a poverty-stricken mother and two daughters in Suwon, south of Seoul, have sent shock waves through the country yet again. The 60-something mother and her two daughters in their 40s were found dead in their small home, Aug. 21, in what appeared to be suicide owing to illness and financial difficulties. Police said the mother was fighting cancer, while the two daughters had rare incurable diseases. In a letter found at their home, she said, "Life was difficult due to chronic illness and debts."
The incident is a fresh wakeup call to the nation's social welfare system following a similar suicide case of a poverty-stricken family in Songpa, southeastern Seoul, in 2014 when a mother and her two adult daughters living in a basement were found dead. After the 2014 case, the government made strenuous efforts to reduce "blind spots" in the welfare system, but some loopholes have resulted in the deaths of another family.
What is even more regrettable is that the three would have been saved had they applied for welfare such as basic livelihood security program benefits. But they didn't because they couldn't make a report on the change of their address because of debt payment pressures. It is surprising that over 240,000 people are living without fixed addresses due to debt problems or familial conflicts.
The government had introduced a system in which 34 types of utilities and other public service bills are checked regularly to find needy people and come to their rescue. However, the system has done little to accomplish its stated goal because it cannot function unless correct addresses are confirmed. To prevent further tragedies, the government should overhaul the flawed welfare system so that local governments can locate families in a crisis situation more actively. This requires them to increase social welfare personnel and establish a community-based system in which social workers, mail carriers, pharmacists and real estate agents can join hands to keep watch over needy people in their neighborhoods.
The tragic deaths of a poverty-stricken mother and two daughters in Suwon, south of Seoul, have sent shock waves through the country yet again. The 60-something mother and her two daughters in their 40s were found dead in their small home, Aug. 21, in what appeared to be suicide owing to illness and financial difficulties. Police said the mother was fighting cancer, while the two daughters had rare incurable diseases. In a letter found at their home, she said, "Life was difficult due to chronic illness and debts."
The incident is a fresh wakeup call to the nation's social welfare system following a similar suicide case of a poverty-stricken family in Songpa, southeastern Seoul, in 2014 when a mother and her two adult daughters living in a basement were found dead. After the 2014 case, the government made strenuous efforts to reduce "blind spots" in the welfare system, but some loopholes have resulted in the deaths of another family.
What is even more regrettable is that the three would have been saved had they applied for welfare such as basic livelihood security program benefits. But they didn't because they couldn't make a report on the change of their address because of debt payment pressures. It is surprising that over 240,000 people are living without fixed addresses due to debt problems or familial conflicts.
The government had introduced a system in which 34 types of utilities and other public service bills are checked regularly to find needy people and come to their rescue. However, the system has done little to accomplish its stated goal because it cannot function unless correct addresses are confirmed. To prevent further tragedies, the government should overhaul the flawed welfare system so that local governments can locate families in a crisis situation more actively. This requires them to increase social welfare personnel and establish a community-based system in which social workers, mail carriers, pharmacists and real estate agents can join hands to keep watch over needy people in their neighborhoods.
![[INTERVIEW] Can art become stable investment source?](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/d9b4b117e5b74f4c931de724ebd2ee68.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Choi Min-sik, Lee Dong-hwi on creating Korean-style noir with 'Big Bet'](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/8b795a8f6b42492db4e8fdc47e9abd8d.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Ahn Jae-hong on playing underdog basketball coach in 'Rebound'](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/fe381342632c46bfa6d3245cb475676e.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
