Government Aims to Reduce Suicide Rate by 30% by 2027...Will South Korea Escape Its Top Ranking in Suicide Rates?

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[Asia Economy Reporter Byeon Seon-jin] The government announced a suicide prevention plan on the 13th aiming to reduce the suicide rate by more than 30% over the next five years compared to the current level. Oxidizing ignition agents used in charcoal briquettes will be replaced with eco-friendly briquettes that are less harmful to the human body, and the management system for new suicide methods will be strengthened. Fences will be installed at dangerous locations such as bridges and railings where suicide incidents frequently occur. The Ministry of Health and Welfare held a public hearing on the same day and disclosed a provisional draft of the "5th Basic Suicide Prevention Plan" (2023?2027) containing these measures.

Despite the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, South Korea's suicide rate decreased from 26.9 per 100,000 people in 2019 to 26.0 in 2021. Nevertheless, South Korea still ranks first in suicide rates among OECD countries since 2003, and the government is determined to escape this dishonor by 2027. Lee Doo-ri, head of the Suicide Prevention Policy Division at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said, "It appears that the suicide rate decreased due to social tension and national unity during the national disaster of COVID-19," but added, "there is a possibility of a rebound in suicide rates in 2 to 3 years, so thorough preparation is necessary." According to the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, suicide causes socioeconomic costs of 409 million KRW per person, and as of 2021, the total loss amounts to 5.4 trillion KRW.

"Strengthening Management of Briquettes, Installing Fences on Bridges and Railings"

According to the provisional draft of the 5th Basic Plan, management of suicide-related items will be tightened to reduce social suicide risk factors such as briquettes. For example, production of briquettes using oxidizing ignition agents will be discontinued and replaced with eco-friendly briquettes. The management system for new suicide methods such as sleeping pills will also be strengthened. Monitoring will be implemented to prevent online distribution and sales of such substances.

Fences will be installed at dangerous locations such as bridges and railings where suicide incidents frequently occur to block the possibility of suicide. Additionally, patrol routes of police substations will be designated focusing on high-suicide locations, and life-respecting cooperation officers will continuously patrol to reorganize high-risk areas. High-risk groups for suicide will be identified and linked to specialized institutions such as psychiatric departments and suicide prevention centers that can provide treatment and follow-up care. Information on suicide attempters will be mandatorily linked with suicide prevention centers to eliminate blind spots.

The current mental health screening conducted every 10 years will be shortened to every 2 years, and the target mental illnesses will be expanded from depression to include other mental disorders such as bipolar disorder. Suicide prevention measures tailored to characteristics of target groups such as age, gender, military personnel, workers, and those in economic or mental health crises will also be established. Psychological autopsies and characteristic analyses of suicide victims will provide evidence for better policy formulation.

"Need for Mid- to Long-Term Measures Beyond Five-Year Plans"

At the public hearing, experts pointed out that focusing only on short-term five-year plans to reduce the suicide rate immediately might overlook the mid- to long-term measures that society should ultimately pursue. They emphasized the need to consider a "society worth living in." The Ministry of Health and Welfare will review and supplement the opinions raised at the hearing with related ministries and finalize and announce the basic plan after deliberation by the Suicide Prevention Policy Committee chaired by the Prime Minister.

Ha Sang-hoon, director of Korea Lifeline, said, "It is correct to prioritize blocking suicide risk tools and reducing high-risk groups in the five-year plan, but focusing too much on aftercare may lead to neglect of mid- to long-term policies improving culture and customs," adding, "the World Health Organization (WHO) also pointed out that focusing only on suicide risk factors tends to reduce attention to promoting protective factors against suicide." Song In-han, professor of social welfare at Yonsei University, said, "Looking at the goals of five-year plans so far, none have been fully achieved since the first plan in 2004," and added, "It is more appropriate to set specific goals with evidence rather than the abstract goal of reducing the suicide rate by 30% by 2027," emphasizing, "We also need to consider whether the suicide rate will continue to decrease linearly over time."