Why is suicide rate so high in Korea?

Over the past 10 years, suicides in member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have dropped but not so in Korea.

In fact, suicides have increased in all age groups in Korea and those of the economically-active population actually doubled between 2000 and 2010.

According to a report from the Korea Institute of Health and Social Affairs Monday, the suicide rate per 100,000 among economically-active persons, that is aged between 15 and 64, increased from 15,6 in 2000 to 30.9 in 2010, making it the highest among OECD countries.

Among youths in the 10-24 age group, the average among OECD countries fell from 7.7 in 2000 to 6.5 in 2010 while the corresponding figures were 6.4 and 9.4 in Korea.

A research team at KIFHSA which published the report said while the Korean government recently announced another set of measures to reduce the number of suicides to below 20 per 100,000 this year, more customized steps are needed to address problems in different age groups.

A study by the National Police Agency recently showed that 28 percent of the suicides among youths is mental while that among the elderly population was failing health which accounted for 45.7 percent.