The South Korean government has announced that it is offering KRW650,000 or approximately RM2,194 of monthly allowance to its reclusive youths to encourage them to get out of their homes more.
A new measure introduced by the country’s Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the initiative also offers education, job and health support for these reclusive youths., based on data from the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, about 350,000 people aged 19 to 39 in the country are considered “lonely or isolated”. Accordingly, the new measures aim to strengthen the country’s support so that reclusive youth can “recover their daily lives and reintegrate into society”.
The programme itself is not new as it was introduced in November last year. However, the measures were expanded to include a monthly allowance for living expenses for people aged between 9 and 24 who are experiencing extreme social withdrawal. Besides that, the programme also offers allowances for cultural experiences for teenagers and other types of support. For the latter, it includes paying for the correction of affected people’s physical appearance such as scars “that adolescents may feel ashamed of”, helping with school supplies and assisting with gym equipment.
So, what do you guys think of this measure by the South Korean government? Do you think Malaysia should implement something similar? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.