3) Issues of Lonely Deaths in Welfare Blind Spots A) Cases of Mother and Daughter in Suwon and Death of North Korean Defector, and Social Controversy On August 21, 2022, the police received a report of a bad smell coming from a multi-family house in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, and identified three bodies who died in the room behind the locked door. They were A, in her 60s, and her two daughters. A mother and a daughter were suffering from cancer and rare incurable disease.46) The police estimated that they committed suicide through the mother’s will, and the case became known as the ‘death of a mother and two daughters in Suwon.’ It was sad case because they had no one to help them, even though they were suffering from illness and debt, and they were unable receive welfare services because they did not make the moving-in report with the community service center, etc. The government held an emergency meeting of related ministries on August 23 and announced plans to investigate and supplement the system to identify and support people in the welfare blind spots. In a Q&A session with reporters on the way to work the same day, the president also said that special measures are needed for those whose welfare information systems are not functioning properly.47) Many civil society organizations expressed their opinion that a welfare system to support the poor is needed,48) and the media also published reports criticizing the welfare system based on blind spots and requests.49) On the other hand, a North Korean defector was also found dead on Oct. 19, in a rental apartment in Seoul where she lived alone. The police said that they found her when Seoul Urban Housing Corporation (SH) forcibly opened the front door to execute forced eviction procedures because she did not pay her rent for over 1 year and could not be reached.50) It seems that she died a lonely death after living disconnected from society for a long time, from the fact that she was wearing winter clothes.51) 46) Hankyoreh, “No Friends on the Last Journey for Mother and Two Daughters in Suwon”, Aug. 27, 2022. 47) Chosun Ilbo, “President Yoon calls for special measures for the vulnerable”, Aug. 23, 2022. 48) Joint Act on Correcting the National Basic Living Security Act, Etc., Aug. 24, 2022. 49) E-Korea, “Comparing Editorials on Mother and Two Daughters in Suwon by Major Press,” Aug. 26, 2022. 50) The National Forensic Service conducted an autopsy, but concluded that the cause of death was unknown. 24