Quick Facts
Individuals served in FY22: 3,355
- Through new construction – 230
- Through repairs – 3,125
Volunteers engaged in FY22: 1,458
Other facts:
- Capital: Seoul
- Population: over 51.5 million
- Life expectancy: 83.6 years
- Unemployment rate: 2.7%
- Relative poverty rate: 15.1%
Sources: Korean Statistical Information Service
Habitat for Humanity in South Korea
In the past decades, the housing gap in Korea has continued to shrink. However, for many households, housing prices are still too high. While homeownership is unaffordable, rental options are inadequate and expensive, particularly in the Seoul metropolitan area that houses half of Korea’s population.The adequate housing challenges are exacerbated by the spread of COVID-19 which has forced many low-income households, especially vulnerable groups such as older people and children to remain in poor housing conditions where they face the risks of respiratory diseases. Habitat Korea addresses the need for safe and affordable housing through various campaigns and online initiatives to raise awareness and funds.
The housing need in Korea
A home should be a comfortable and safe place for everyone. However, families living in inadequate conditions, such as moldy wall and leaky toilet, have been negatively affected physically and mentally. Through the help of many volunteers and donors, Habitat for Humanity Korea is building houses of hope and renovating houses around the world by improving the decrepit housing environment of vulnerable families.
How Habitat addresses the need
International fundraising and disaster response
We raise funds to support people who have been displaced by disasters or conflicts. After the Russia-Ukraine war broke out in early 2022, we launched an emergency fundraising campaign for refugees from Ukraine. The funds supported the shelter and other emergency needs of people who fled from Ukraine to neighboring countries such as Poland, Romania and Hungary. In South Korea, we built mobile wooden homes, or HayHome, to help people who lost their homes when wildfires hit the eastern coast.
Building sustainable communities
Our work promotes sustainable communities through improved water, sanitation and hygiene standards, better learning environment and women empowerment. We also build communities’ local capacity and independence through technical, vocational and livelihood training.
Supporting vulnerable and low-income groups
With the support of local governments and volunteers, Habitat Korea builds or improves homes with vulnerable groups and low-income families. They include people of national merit, older people who live alone, single-parent families and households with members with disabilities. We help to repair roofs, install sinks and toilets and insulation, among other works. We also renovate facilities such as community childcare centers and homeless shelters.
Local fundraising
With the lifting of restrictions following the pandemic, we have gradually resumed in-person fundraising events. A charity marathon, launched virtually in 2020, was held in-person for the first time in August 2022. Led by campaign ambassador Sean, the event aimed to raise funds for descendants of independence patriots living in inadequate housing. In addition, employees of corporate donors volunteered their labor to improve homes with these families in need.
