"Charcoal Briquettes Sold with Caution"... Three Hope Sales Outlets in Jung-gu, Seoul Selected as Outstanding Institutions

Improved Charcoal Briquette Sales Practices
Early Detection of Crisis Warning Signs

Jung-gu District Office in Seoul (headed by Mayor Kim Gilseong) announced on January 16 that three stores within the district were selected as 'Outstanding Institutions for Suicide Means Restriction Project' by the Seoul Suicide Prevention Center.

The selected stores are 'Woori Mart' in Dasan-dong (represented by Lee Kyungi), 'Hanadeo Mart' in Sindang 5-dong (represented by Choi Pansu), and 'Hanseong Stationery' in Gwanghui-dong (represented by Heo Inseon). These stores are participating as 'Hope Sales Outlets for Life Guardians' in Jung-gu.

Three stores in Jung-gu, Seoul, were selected as "Outstanding Institutions for Suicide Means Restriction Projects" hosted by the Seoul Suicide Prevention Center. Representatives from Woori Mart and Jung-gu staff. Provided by Jung-gu.

The Hope Sales Outlets for Life Guardians program aims to prevent suicide attempts using charcoal briquettes by improving sales methods and identifying early warning signs of crisis during the purchasing process.

These stores changed their sales method by not displaying charcoal briquettes on the shelves and only selling them upon customer request. During the sales process, they asked about the intended use and engaged in conversation to detect any warning signs. Suicide prevention leaflets and information about counseling agencies were also made available in the stores.

Choi Pansu, who has operated 'Hanadeo Mart' for over 30 years, noticed signs of possible suicide risk during a charcoal briquette purchase and immediately attempted to contact the suicide prevention counseling hotline. This situation was shared with the Jung-gu Public Health Center, providing an opportunity to review the counseling referral system.

Choi said, "When interacting with residents, there are often people with heartbreaking stories," adding, "A single word exchanged while selling goods can be of help to someone."

Currently, a total of 54 Hope Sales Outlets for Life Guardians have been designated in Jung-gu. The district is providing training to outlet representatives on how to identify suicide risk signs and respond in crisis situations.

Kim Gilseong, Mayor of Jung-gu, stated, "I deeply thank the Hope Sales Outlet representatives for participating responsibly to protect lives in everyday settings," and added, "Jung-gu will continue to work hand in hand with the local community to build an even stronger safety net to protect the lives and well-being of our residents."

Meanwhile, Jung-gu is providing psychological counseling vouchers through the 'Jung-gu Psychological Counseling Voucher Program,' which has received the national grand prize for two consecutive years.