Living Reality of Jjok-Bang Residents and Aid Measures -In Focus of Bupyeong-gu, Incheon

The purpose of this study is to investigate the living reality of jjok-bang residents of Sipjeong-dong, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, and find measures of community social work to support them. Based on the precedent research on jjok-bang's creation, characteristics, and lifestyle of its residents, this study presents the results of an interview survey addressed to 132 residents living in 216 Sipjeong1-dong, Bupyeong-gu, the largest jjok-bang area in Incheon. The research was conducted by ten members of the "Sunshine" Community Center of Sipjeong-dong with constructed questionnaire. Results indicated that 74.2% of the participants were female, and 56.1% aged over 60. Despite the poor living conditions, 77% of them hoped to reside in jjok-bang continually and the most urgent problems to be resolved were housing environment, economic problems such as unemployment and a shortage of welfare facilities. The study emphasizes jjok-bang as a place of home for the residents and advocating both individual and community efforts to ameliorate the local environment of jjok-bang.