Deaths among youth aging out of foster care expose systemic flaws

The number of deaths among youths who aged out of the foster care system is on the rise, highlighting gaps in the current support system as well as the difficulties young adults face when they lose government assistance.

Food and flowers are laid out to commemorate Yoo Ye-na (pseudonym), a woman who took her own life after she aged out of the foster care system, on April 10. [JOONGANG ILBO]

A 27-year-old woman who aged out of foster care system eight years ago was found dead on Feb. 22 in Jecheon, North Chungcheong.

“Don’t get tired, don’t give up. Always overcome whatever hardships you have. When it’s overwhelming, when it’s exhausting, you can lean on me.”

Moments before 27-year-old Yoo Ye-na, whose name is a pseudonym, took her life, she listened to “Don't Think You're Alone” (2012) by Kim Bo-kyung.

Contrary to the song’s encouraging message, Yoo spent her final moments alone.

“I think this is it for me. I am sorry and thank you. Be well,” she said in her last phone call to a friend.

graph [KIM KYUNG-JIN]

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 32 young adults who aged out of foster care have died since 2019, with 20 of those deaths being ruled suicides. The data excludes the deaths of individuals who do not currently receive financial support from the government, such as Yoo.

At the child welfare center where she grew up, Yoo was envied by many children because she had a father and was able to use his last name. Most other children used the surname of the center’s founder.

“Having a father is like having some form of power in the center,” said Shin In-seong, the policy director of Solidarity Orphan Rights Interests, an organization dedicated to supporting youth who have aged out of foster care. “The most heartbreaking thing for children in the welfare system is not having parents.”

When Yoo turned 18, she made contact with her father, who started sending her 500,000 won ($365) monthly.

Yoo aged out of the child welfare system when she turned 18 in 2016 and left with a total of 20 million won, which included 5 million won from government subsidies and previous donations.

Yoo worked various part-time jobs and she graduated from a technical college in Gangwon in February 2018 with a concentration in casino management.

Her life took a turn in 2021 when she discovered that the man she believed to be her biological father was actually her adoptive father. Although he reassured her that his concern for her remained the same, she struggled to accept that she had been abandoned by both her biological and adoptive parents.

A handwritten note was found at Yoo's home. It reads, ″Home is wherever I’m with you.″ [JOONGANG ILBO]

The revelation left Yoo depressed whenever the topic of family came up in conversation. In a diary that she used regularly, she wrote, “Home is wherever I’m with you.”

Last year, 1,635 kids in Korea aged out of foster care when they turned 18. Local governments offer young adults a one-time subsidy of up to 20 million won for housing, while the central government provides them with 500,000 won per month for five years to aid their transition to adulthood. However, these young adults often fall victim to scams related to housing and secondhand purchases of cars and other items.

Yoo’s death was not included in the Health Ministry’s mortality statistics on aged-out youth, as the ministry only tracks deaths that occur within five years of an individual leaving the foster care system.

Two other young adults from the same foster care center as Yoo, aged 24 and 30, took their own lives in 2021 and 2023, respectively. Their deaths were also not included in the statistics. Both shared the same surname, taken from the founder of the foster care center.

Yoo wrote about her plan to expand her business in a notebook. [PARK JONG-SEO]

Yoo’s acquaintances recall her being bright and bubbly. After graduating from college, she became a full-time employee at a nearby resort. Her colleagues remember her as “cool and smart.” Although her shifts ran back-to-back from 5:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., her colleagues said she was a diligent worker.

Last August, she opened a fried chicken restaurant with a friend. Business went well, prompting plans for expansion and relocation. She also visited her former foster care center last August with 10 boxes of fried chickens to thank the staff who took care of her.

Yoo poses at an aquarium she visited in March 2023 during her trip to Jeju Island. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Baek, from the same foster care center as Yoo, blamed society for Yoo’s unexpected death.

“It’s not just about financial struggles. As soon as we leave the child welfare system, we don’t have any adults to rely on,” Baek said. “We are forced to make it on our own, and society does not care about us.”

Young adults who transitioned out of foster care say that the deaths of those who no longer receive government assistance has been increasing recently. When the young adults lose financial aid, they also lose access to various support programs.

“I heard about two deaths in February alone,” said Yoon Do-hyun, who runs a support community for young adults. He said such news reports tend to surface more around holidays and Christmas.

Cho Yoon-hwan, president of Solidarity Orphan Rights Interests, mentioned one child welfare center where 20 out of 80 young adults died soon after aging out of the system. “There are likely more unknown deaths,” Cho said.

Joo Woo-jin, the president of an association for young adults aging out of foster care, highlighted the difficulty young adults face in establishing a stable career despite receiving support from the government and foster care centers.

“We are not asking for extra cash, but rather, personalized support that considers each individual’s circumstances,” Joo said.

A Health Ministry official who was contacted by the JoongAng Ilbo for comment only said the government is currently discussing ways improve the system, including compiling statistics on young adults who no longer receive support.

BY JEONG SAE-HEE,KIM SEO-WON,PARK JONG-SEO,WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]