The city of Seoul plans to reach out to young people who have confined themselves indoors and provide financial incentives for them to step outside and meet people.

The municipal government introduced a pilot program on Wednesday to benefit socially withdrawn members of society between the ages of 19 and 34, giving them credits that can be exchanged for gift certificates or vouchers. 

The city plans to choose around 260 people by the end of the month and offer them the incentives, along with opportunities to participate in community activities and mental health programs. 

They can receive up to 50-thousand won a month, or more than 36 dollars, for six months. 

The health and welfare ministry estimates that about 540-thousand people in that age bracket, or some five percent of the total, live in self-imposed isolation or find it difficult to engage in social activities, confining themselves in their rooms or residences due to social, psychological or economic difficulties.