[Interview] "Before Grief Sets In, the Wall of Reality... Voices Breaking the Silence Offer Hope" [Those Left Behind] ③

Isolated by Unprecedented Shock
Double Burden of Social Stigma and Livelihood
Urgent Need to Train Peer Support Activists

"Suicide bereaved families are those who find themselves standing on the edge of a cliff before they even have a chance to grieve."

Myeongsoo Kang, President of the Korea Suicide Bereaved Families Association, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at the New Central Counseling Center in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

Myeongsoo Kang, President of the Korea Suicide Bereaved Families Association, stated in an interview with The Asia Business Daily on December 23 that bereaved families are confronted with a precarious reality-such as a lack of information and social prejudice-even before they have fully processed the pain of losing a loved one. The Korea Suicide Bereaved Families Association is an organization that was directly established by bereaved individuals themselves in January of this year to help with healing and to create a policy support system.

Kang explained that when a suicide occurs, the bereaved are thrown into extreme confusion. He said, "Unlike accidents or illnesses, where the cause of death is known, the bereaved in suicide cases are overwhelmed by an indescribable shock because they often do not even know the reason for the death. Mourning can only begin after accepting the death, but suicide bereaved families struggle to come to terms with this, and it can take years just to move past the initial shock. This is known as 'complicated grief.'"

The police investigation process can also inflict further wounds on the bereaved. Kang pointed out, "The first person the bereaved encounter, even before holding a funeral, is usually a police officer. During the investigation, as the authorities determine whether the death was a suicide or homicide, the bereaved may experience additional trauma. It is therefore crucial that police officers receive specialized training so that, from the very beginning of an investigation, they can serve as psychological supporters and immediately connect the bereaved with mental health welfare centers or self-help groups."

The barriers to accessing support systems are also high. Kang cited the issue of 'consent to provide personal information' as the biggest obstacle to identifying and providing follow-up care for bereaved families. Consent is essential for receiving support from mental health welfare centers and similar organizations. However, for bereaved families who are often in a state of extreme distress and worried about social stigma, it is not easy to sign a consent form. As a result, many 'hidden bereaved families' are inevitably left out of the support system.

Social stigma and economic isolation further tighten the grip on the bereaved. Kang shared, "There have been cases where, after the news of a child's death was announced and the funeral was held, no acquaintances attended because rumors spread that it was a suicide. Bereaved families experience a complete severance of social relationships." He added, "In addition to financial hardship due to the loss of a breadwinner, it is common for bereaved families to have to fight lonely legal battles to prove industrial accidents if the death was caused by workplace bullying, for example."

Kang proposed building an 'early response system centered on the bereaved' as a solution. He said, "We need an environment where police officers, mental health welfare center staff, and neighbors can immediately offer help to bereaved families. Most importantly, there are only 58 'peer support activists' nationwide who can use their own recovery experiences to support other bereaved families, so urgent support is needed to train more of these individuals."

Addressing social prejudice is also an urgent task. The association has been focusing on creating spaces for social mourning where bereaved families can share their voices directly, such as by holding 'Bereaved Families Talk Forums' in five cities nationwide, including Busan and Jeonju, last year. Kang stated, "For bereaved families to share their experiences on stage is a powerful social movement that breaks stigma. In addition, to support bereaved families who lose access to services due to administrative limitations, we are also providing outreach services at the private sector level."

Kang criticized the lack of policy attention and the blind spots faced by adolescent bereaved families. He said, "This year, the government's countermeasures included only four lines related to suicide bereaved families, which shows the lack of budget and attention. In particular, tailored support is needed for adolescent bereaved families, who repeatedly experience the pain of loss at each stage of development." He continued, "Suicide prevention is an issue that requires everyone's attention to ensure we live in a safe society. We must listen to the voices of those directly affected and secure effective funding."

If you are experiencing depression or other difficult emotions, or if you know a family member or acquaintance who is struggling, you can receive 24-hour professional counseling by calling the suicide prevention hotline at 109 or through the suicide prevention SNS counseling service 'Madeulran.'