한국사회의 은둔형 외톨이 실태 파악의 어려움과 그 해결방안

The Difficulty of Identifying the Status of Hikikomori and Its Solutions in Korean Society

(Purpose) In 2000, Si-hong Lee and the research team first revealed the Hikikomori issue in Korean society; the result of the study pointed out the urgency of planning to deal with the problem. However, more than 20 years later, there is no adequate measure to determine Hikikomori proliferation. What is the reason why there were no studies conducted to determine the exact number of these loners? This researcher and the team wanted to reveal why such a survey on the status of Hikikomori in Korea was not conducted. Moreover, we tried to determine Korea's unique socio-cultural characteristics that make it difficult to measure the number of Hikikomori individuals accurately. (Design/methodology/approach) This study is not designed to discover and contact young people who have isolated themselves in a small room to avoid contact with society. However, this research utilized secondary literature to emphasize the theoretical aspects of the Hikikomori phenomenon. (Findings) Korea's educational fervor and the honor-shame cultural principle drive certain young people to be Hikikomori. The parents of these individuals conceal the fact that their children are isolated in the rooms because they do not want to reveal that their children are failures. Therefore, the lack of data and accurate numbers is unable to make the public consider and aware of Hikikomori a significant social issue. (Research implications or Originality) To solve the problem of Hikikomori, this researcher would like to make the following suggestions. The government agencies must conduct regular surveys. Establishing Hikikomori support centers in various parts of the country is crucial. It is essential to discover and train recovered Hikikomoris to share their experiences with elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and universities.