A 26-year-old man with an intellectual disability was removed from suspected exploitation in Busan, but the people helping him found that the city had no public temporary protection space for male disabled victims. The man had no family connections and had been living in accommodation provided by a delivery business, according to the Kookje Shinmun report.
He was reportedly making about 50 deliveries a day while receiving only around 10,000 won. Costs for motorcycle repairs and damage to the accommodation were allegedly charged to him, and there were also suspicions of verbal and physical abuse. A convenience store operator who helped him leave asked relevant agencies to arrange temporary accommodation, but no male shelter was available in Busan.
The absence of a bed also obstructed access to other assistance. Emergency livelihood and housing support generally follows a person’s registered place of residence. Without entering a shelter and transferring his address, the man could face difficulty receiving support in Busan. Shelters in other regions are not a reliable alternative because admission depends on whether space is available.
Shelter access determines access to further support
Busan previously had a four-person shelter that could accommodate disabled abuse victims. It became a women-only facility after the Ministry of Health and Welfare recommended in 2022 that shelters be separated by sex and that dedicated facilities be established. That change left the city without a corresponding public space for men suspected of suffering abuse or exploitation.
The city requested about 350 million won in national funding to establish a shelter for men. The ministry responded that it had no plan for new facilities, citing insufficient operating support for the 19 shelters already in place nationwide. Busan said operating a new shelter entirely with municipal funds would create a continuing financial burden. In the reported case, the gap meant that a private citizen had to pay to protect a man after helping him leave suspected exploitation.