Why “Care” Has Become One of the Hottest Topics for Social Impact Organizations in South Korea
I regularly network with people working in South Korea’s social impact sector and participate in several open chat groups where professionals connect, collaborate, and exchange ideas. I have been involved in these communities since my days as a journalist, so it has been quite a long time.
A wide range of issues are discussed in these groups, but one topic has been appearing more frequently than almost any other in recent years: care.
By now, many people around the world are aware that South Korea is aging rapidly. At the end of 2024, the country officially entered the category of a “super-aged society,” with more than 20% of its population aged 65 or older. Care is no longer a niche issue discussed only by experts—it has become a topic of national concern.
In this article, I would like to explore the relationship between care and the role of social impact organizations.
🌴Good Care Requires the Cooperation of Many People
Although I have spent most of my professional career working in journalism and media, my academic background is in social welfare. Because of this, I have always paid close attention to issues related to care. It is also a subject that feels particularly important because, at some point in life, almost everyone will encounter it.
To share a personal example, both my husband’s grandparents and mine have now passed away. Before they did, our parents spent years thinking about where they should live, who should care for them, and what type of support would be most appropriate. It was not a situation that families could handle entirely on their own. Our parents invested enormous amounts of time gathering information and searching for the best possible care options within the circumstances they faced.
Watching this process up close taught me an important lesson.
Good care is not something that can be provided by one person or one institution alone.
Governments can create policies and systems. Businesses can develop services. Yet good care cannot be achieved through policies and services alone.
Care depends heavily on relationships and trust.
That is why there must be organizations capable of connecting public systems and market-based services with the people who actually need them. More specifically, there must be actors who can ensure that the right support reaches the right people at the right time.
🌳This Is Where Social Impact Organizations Play a Role
Social impact organizations are often uniquely positioned to perform this role because they operate on a foundation of relationships, trust, and community engagement.
One example is cooperative-based care services. In these models, local residents participate in operating care programs and provide support to people in their communities who need assistance.
Another example is community-integrated care, which aims to help older adults and other vulnerable populations continue living in their communities by connecting healthcare, welfare, and daily living support services.
However, identifying who needs what type of support is rarely straightforward.
Local social impact organizations are often able to bridge this gap because they have already built strong relationships and trust within their communities over many years. This allows them to connect people with appropriate services more effectively.
In addition, community-based social enterprises and village enterprises frequently provide care services, daily living assistance, and support for vulnerable populations.
To carry out these roles successfully, organizations need dense networks of relationships and the trust of local residents. Many social impact organizations have already established these foundations through years of community engagement.
🌵Care Can Address More Than Care Needs
Care is not simply about delivering services to individuals. It can also help address a wide range of broader social challenges.
Issues such as regional decline, population aging, social isolation, and local employment are all closely connected to care.
For example, providing eldercare services often requires residents to connect with one another. These connections can help reduce social isolation and create systems that support community health and well-being.
In other words, care can contribute to building healthier communities.
Care can also create local jobs. When care-related employment opportunities emerge and economic activity increases within a community, local areas can gain new energy and vitality.
This is one reason why international organizations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations (UN), and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) increasingly highlight the importance of the care economy.
South Korea is also actively discussing ways to expand policies and services that can support its growing elderly population.
🌱Conclusion
I believe the word “care” contains far more meaning than it may initially appear to.
Care is not simply about helping people who need support. It is a vital social infrastructure that enables communities and societies to function, grow, and sustain themselves.
For this reason, social impact organizations in South Korea do not view care merely as a service. They see it as a critical social issue that affects the sustainability of communities and the future of society itself.
At some point in life, all of us will need care. In the near future, many of our own parents may require support as they age. This reality challenges us to think carefully about how we will care for those we love.
When appropriate care services reach the people who need them, they do more than reduce the burden on individual families. They also strengthen communities and help sustain society as a whole.
👉👉Read related articles
Community Healthcare Cooperatives in Korea: Caring for Daily Life
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