Muju County to Establish "Life-Respect Safe Village" for Suicide Prevention

Participation of 14 Organizations and Groups Including Jeonbuk Muju Office of Education

Muju County in North Jeolla Province will establish a "Life-Respect Safe Village" in Muju-eup, with participation from local organizations and groups, in line with the Ministry of Health and Welfare's "Basic Plan for Suicide Prevention."

Exterior view of Muju County Office. Provided by Muju County.

According to the county on June 26, the "Life-Respect Safe Village" project aims to prevent suicide by utilizing a variety of local resources to identify high-risk groups early and provide tailored linkage services.

Fourteen organizations and groups are participating, including Muju County Public Health Medical Center, Muju Dementia Care Center, Pureun Pharmacy, Muju Middle School, Muju Senior Welfare Center, Muju Disability Welfare Center, Muju Youth Counseling Center, Muju Community Self-Sufficiency Center, Muju County Volunteer Center, Muju County Branch of the Korean Senior Citizens Association, Muju-eup Crime Prevention Patrol, Muju-eup Administrative Welfare Center, Muju Police Station, and Jeonbuk Muju Office of Education.

These organizations and groups signed a memorandum of understanding on June 24, agreeing to conduct suicide prevention education and campaigns, as well as activities to restrict access to means of suicide. They also plan to carry out a life-respect campaign until July 11.

In particular, activities such as "writing down three things you are grateful for in a day" and "solving quizzes about the 24-hour suicide prevention hotline (109)" are being conducted for local residents and have received a positive response.

Lee Seungha, head of the Health Administration Division at Muju County Public Health Medical Center, said, "The Life-Respect Safe Village will actively utilize local resources and networks to establish a robust suicide safety net," adding, "We will focus on spreading a culture of respect for life by providing tailored support through early identification and linkage of high-risk groups for suicide."