"Korea, One Person Dies Every 40 Minutes... Hard to Have Children in Such a Country"

"Not an Individual Issue but a Crisis for the Whole Society"
"It Is Important to Understand Others' Feelings"

South Korea has been labeled a "suicide republic" for ranking first in suicide rates among OECD countries for 19 years, and there is a growing call to view this not as an individual problem but as a social issue that requires solutions.

Professor Jang Dong-seon of Hanyang University's Institute for Creative Convergence explained on June 15th on CBS's "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show" that "approximately 13,000 to 15,000 people lose their lives every year in South Korea. This means one person dies every 40 minutes." He emphasized that this figure has remained steady for 20 years, calling it an "enormous crisis." He added, "The birth rate issue has been highlighted a lot, but I want to ask whether we really want to have children in a world where many people do not experience a natural death but instead die by suicide," stressing that "this is a problem we truly need to solve."

Among all OECD countries, South Korea not only has a high suicide rate but also relatively few people who consider personal mental health or mental well-being. Professor Jang stated, "South Korea is not thinking about health crises. The society has become too numb," and emphasized, "I want to send the message that this is not an individual problem but a crisis for the entire society."

Professor Na Jong-ho of Yale University's Department of Psychiatry mentioned Japan's case, where the suicide rate decreased by about 30% over 20 years, saying, "We need to bring this issue into social discourse, have conversations, and discuss how to prevent suicide." He explained, "Japan's initial step was a shift in perception, recognizing suicide not as an individual choice but as a death with social responsibility," and added, "They increased education and discussions on suicide prevention and expanded SNS and telephone counseling services."

He also urged, "If you have acquaintances or friends who appear depressed or are thinking about suicide?that is, if warning signs are detected?it is important to understand their feelings. Asking directly is the best approach."