Next Year's Government Budget Allocates 70.8 Billion Won for Suicide Prevention, Up 26%

Suicide Prevention Day Commemoration Ceremony
Ministry of Health and Welfare Commends Actress Lee Jungeun, LG Twins, and Others

In recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day, the government presented commendations to actress Lee Jungeun and LG Sports (the operator of the professional baseball team LG Twins), among others.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that on September 10, at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, it held the "2025 Suicide Prevention Day Commemoration Ceremony" and awarded 100 Minister of Health and Welfare commendations to individuals and organizations that contributed to suicide prevention and respect for life over the past year.

In accordance with the Suicide Prevention Act, the government designates September 10 each year as Suicide Prevention Day and the week starting from Suicide Prevention Day as "Suicide Prevention Week," during which it conducts educational and promotional activities such as exhibitions and lectures. World Suicide Prevention Day, commemorated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), also falls on the same day.

Actress Lee Jungeun was recognized for her role in a public service announcement on suicide prevention produced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Suicide Prevention Center, where her sincere message helped raise public awareness about suicide prevention. LG Twins was highly praised for its annual "Life Keeper Day" campaign, which informs baseball stadium visitors in May about the importance of life, as well as for continuously broadcasting public service announcements on suicide prevention during games. The LG Twins also supported children and adolescents who have lost family members to suicide by linking this support to the team's player statistics.

Other recipients included Incheon Metropolitan City, which established a comprehensive suicide prevention plan and a 24-hour emergency response system for high-risk groups; Fire Lieutenant Jo Sungjoo, who led efforts to foster a suicide prevention atmosphere in the local community; and Yeo Soondong, head of the Daejeon Daedeok-gu branch of the Korea Hotel Association.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare also announced that it has allocated 70.8 billion won for suicide prevention projects in next year's government budget proposal. This is an increase of 26% (14.6 billion won) compared to this year's main budget of 56.2 billion won.

The budget includes funds to expand the one-stop support service for bereaved families nationwide, increase the number of staff at local suicide prevention centers from 2.6 to 5 per center, and approximately 7.9 billion won to eliminate income requirements for financial support for treatment of high-risk groups.

For financial support of treatment for high-risk groups, the income requirement (previously set at 120% or less of the median income) will be abolished. The government also plans to further expand support for region-specific prevention programs to actively promote the establishment of a "grassroots suicide prevention system" in local communities.

Lee Hyunghoon, Second Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, stated, "We will pursue more sophisticated suicide prevention and mental health support policies, viewing suicide as a social disaster," and added, "With small acts of care and practice, we will build a Korea where everyone protects one another and safeguarding life becomes part of daily life."

Hwang Taeyeon, Chairman of the Korea Suicide Prevention Center, said, "Suicide is preventable," and added, "We will work to ensure that anyone considering suicide can receive help through the suicide prevention counseling hotline or text service 109."