The Homeless in South Korea: It`s Situation and Vision The Leader of People for Homeless`s Welfare and Human Rights, Heon-Jun, Moon 2004 Mumbi

The Homeless in South Korea: It`s Situation and Vision  Causes of the Homeless in South Korea, the definition of the homeless and the Social Recognition  Analysis of the Protective System of the Homeless in South Korea  The Activism and Visions of NGOs and Private Support Groups against the Discrimination of the Government and the Social Recognition

I.Causes of the Homeless in South Korea, the definition of the homeless and the Social Recognition 1-1. The South Korean situation in 1998 when the homeless Appeared up I-1. The South Korean situation in 1998 when the homeless Appeared up Before the IMF crisis January, 1998April, 1998June, 1998 The Unemployment Rate 2 %4.5%6.7%7.0% The Number of the Unemployed Appro.0.4 m0.93 m1.40 m1.53 m Table 1-1> The trends of the rate of unemployment and the number of the unemployed in South Korea before and after the IMF crisis  Since the financial crisis hit over South Korean economy in 1998, massive layoffs and the homeless has become a significant social issue. The number of the homeless dramatically increased, crowding around train stations in five major cities, such as Seoul, Daejeon, Busan, Daegu, and Inchon.

AnnuallyDec 1997Dec 1998Feb 1999May 1999Jul 1999 The Number of the homeless Shelter Distance Table 1-2> Changes in the Number of the Homeless between 1997 and 1999  The emergence of the homeless and massive layoffs gave an enormous shock to a society, and they symbolized the economic hardship of South Korea. The problem of the homeless was regarded as a spontaneous phenomenon taken place by the massive unemployment due to the financial crisis. Therefore there was a common acknowledgment that the matter of the homeless should be resolved by the social provision of food and shelter in order that they can return to home and society.

I-2. The perspectives of the homeless  The problem of the homeless, which had been regarded as a short-term phenomenon due to the massive layoffs, has been re-considered in the context that the presupposition that the number of the homeless would significantly decline if the economic crisis passed by proves wrong. Unfortunate growth background ->-> early employment ->-> the entry of an unstable employment system - Lack of finacial surport - Divorce or death of parents - Domestic violence and child abuse - Runaway or iuvernile delinquency - low scholarship or lack of investment of human resource - low wage - temporary job -a petty self management weak family structure ->-> an external shock or incident ->-> Fell into the homeless - unstable marrage life - a single life - abnormal residential life - layout - fail of business - divorce, separation, runaway of a spouse Picture 1-1> The Typical Steps to be a Homeless in South Korea

 As a result, the problem of the homeless has newly revealed the fact that the poor with their unstable employment status under detrimental residential circumstances ubiquitously has already existed.  Non-profit groups view the homeless as the outcome of the socio-economic unequal mechanism, such as the unemployment deepening the poverty of the needy and deteriorating the distribution system, low-wage system and lack of housing policy. On contrary, the ‘ homeless ’ that are beneficial from policies tends to be narrowly defined into those who live on the street or who are inhabited in the government-sponsored shelters, so- called the House of Hope, of which 120 were located in 20 cities throughout the country until December  The simplified approach of the government to the homeless as “ inhabitants on the streets or in the shelters ” disregards the ‘ potential homeless group ’ who live in unstable residential places like a side room, a motel, and a basement, or who live off relatives or friends, and therefore are likely to live on the street or to be a homeless. Ironically, this approach demonstrates that the Korean government carries out nothing but the uniformed and myopic policy with the slogan that “ there must be no homeless on the streets ”.

II.Analysis of the Protective System of the Homeless in South Korea Counseling Center Street=>Drop-in-center=>Shelter=> House of Self- support Outreach Picture 2-1> The Protective System of the Homeless in South Korea

 Taking into account that the protective system of the homeless was established within a short period of time, it is satisfactory in the light of the provision of emergency measures and the system formation.  The present protective system is based on the prerequisite that the homeless should enter the provided shelter. The protective measures of the homeless and the provision of the public workfare programs have become the solution of food, clothing and housing for them. However, the negative views of the homeless, as seen above, accompany the disputes over this situation, arguing that the provision of the service is excessive.  It reproduces the homeless who stay in the protective system a long period of time, whereas there is an increase in the number of people who refuse to use the shelter, but insist a street-life.  Recently the Korean government has made an attempt to legislate the support of the homeless. However, there is a concern that the legislation could lead to the social isolation of the homeless by accommodating them into the separate institute in the end, provided that perspectives of the poverty and housing problems lacked and the preventive measures to reduce the number of the homeless through the expansion of social welfare service were not formed yet.

III.The Activism and Visions of NGOs and Private Support Groups against the Discrimination of the Government and the Social Recognition  Two Tendencies of NGOs and Private Support Groups => “ The problem of the homeless is the matter of housing, and thus it needs to be handled in terms of housing policy as to what types of housing the homeless requires. ” => “ The right of self-decision and the human dignity of the homeless should be recognized, and therefore the problems of the homeless have to be understood and dealt with from the perspective of the homeless ”.