Nearly four out of ten seniors in the country were living alone in 2023.

According to data from Statistics Korea on Thursday, there were five-point-66 million households made up of seniors aged 65 or older last year, of which two-point-14 million, or 37-point-eight percent, lived alone.

The ratio of single-person households among seniors, which is on a gradual increase, is forecast to take up 42-point-one percent of the total in 2052.

While 32-point-eight percent of seniors in single-person households had a job, 49-point-four percent of those living alone said they were finding ways to cover living expenses, while 33-point-two percent relied on support from the government or civic groups.

Eighteen-point-seven percent said they had no means of outside support, while 19-point-five percent said they had no outside contact.

In a subjective assessment, 44 percent of seniors living alone said their health was in a bad state, relatively higher than 33-point-three percent among all seniors.