Incheon Institute proposes cultural care policy to address mental health

The Incheon Institute has proposed a ‘cultural care’ policy to address rising mental health concerns in Incheon, South Korea. According to recent data, Incheon ranks third among 17 major cities and provinces in both stress perception rates (25.6%) and depression symptom prevalence (4.2%). Additionally, 38.7% of citizens reported experiencing loneliness, and suicide rates per 100,000 people increased from 26.5 in 2020 to 31.2 in 2024.

The institute identified a disconnect between existing cultural, health, and welfare policies, which prevents cultural activities from effectively serving a caregiving function. The proposed ‘cultural care’ model aims to integrate these sectors through three levels: self-care for emotional stability, mutual care for social empathy, and community care to strengthen social solidarity.

Drawing inspiration from England’s ‘social prescribing’ model, the report suggests training ‘comprehensive care link workers’ to connect individual needs with local resources. To ensure sustainability, the institute recommends establishing a ‘cultural care cluster’ involving cooperation between culture, health, and welfare departments, alongside a shared financial responsibility system.