Rep. Kim Seon-min of Rebuilding Korea Party Highlights Rising Mental Health Issues

Mental health issues among young adults preparing for independence have notably increased over the past five years.

Young adults preparing for independence refer to those who, due to the absence of guardians or difficulties in upbringing, have lived in child welfare facilities or foster homes and whose protection ends when they turn 18. They are also referred to as "children whose protection has ended."

According to an analysis by Rep. Kim Seon-min of the Rebuilding Korea Party, a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, using data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Health Insurance Service, among 8,501 young adults receiving independence allowances, the number of those who visited medical institutions for mental health issues increased by 30.7%, from 687 in 2020 to 898 in 2024.

By year, the number increased by 19.7% compared to the previous year in 2021, temporarily decreased in 2023, and showed an increase of 9.5% again last year.

When categorized by economic status, there were 4,955 National Health Insurance subscribers and 3,546 medical aid recipients. While the rate of increase was higher among National Health Insurance subscribers, the total number of patients was higher among medical aid recipients, who are relatively economically vulnerable.

For National Health Insurance subscribers, the number of those who received treatment for mental health issues increased more than fourfold over five years, from 75 in 2020 to 326 in 2024. In contrast, medical aid recipients decreased slightly from 612 in 2020 to 572 in 2024, but the scale itself remained significantly higher than that of National Health Insurance subscribers.

By disease category, affective disorders, which involve emotional changes or depression, were the most common. As of last year, 583 individuals received treatment for affective disorders, and both National Health Insurance subscribers and medical aid recipients showed the same pattern.

Rep. Kim stated, "The mental health issues of young adults preparing for independence are structural problems that accumulate from the protection stage to post-independence," and emphasized, "Systematic mental health management and support are needed at each stage."

Mental Health Visits Among Independence-Prepared Youth Surge 30.7% in Five Years